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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · rash · nail · kid · bore · row · plane · tube

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. plane — a tool
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. content — the amount
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. tube — a container
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rash — a series
  14. content — happy
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. kid — child
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bore — to drill
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. kid — to tease

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com