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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 120 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: suit · tube · straw · firm · mark · game · bore · mug

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bore — to drill
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. tube — a container
  6. mug — a cup
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. tube — the underground
  10. suit — in cards
  11. game — a match
  12. mark — a grade
  13. firm — steady
  14. mark — a trace
  15. game — wild animals
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. suit — clothes
  23. firm — decided
  24. mark — to pay attention

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