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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ball · lash · wake · mug · bore · pit · bear · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mug — to rob
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mug — a face
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bore — to drill
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. tube — a container
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ball — a dance
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mug — a cup

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