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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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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: mate · stem · tube · chair · bore · ruler · trunk · bay

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. mate — a partner
  5. tube — a container
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. chair — a leader
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. mate — a friend
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. stem — to come from
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bore — to tire

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