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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: plane · tube · root · bore · bowl · press · fork · craft

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. root — the cause
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. plane — a tool
  6. craft — a skill
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. root — of a plant
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fork — in a road
  14. press — to push
  15. root — of a word
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. tube — the underground
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. tube — a container

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