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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.

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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: tube · firm · perch · bore · rock · chip · pass · band

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pass — a permit
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rock — a stone
  7. perch — the fish
  8. rock — music
  9. band — a music group
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. firm — a company
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. firm — steady
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. chip — to eat
  19. firm — decided
  20. band — a ring
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. chip — for betting
  24. band — a rubber band

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