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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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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: club · wave · tube · firm · chip · bore · bear · ruler

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. firm — steady
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. club — for golf
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. chip — for betting
  8. club — a group
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bear — the animal
  12. tube — a container
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. chip — to eat
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. club — for dancing
  20. tube — the underground
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bear — the animal
  23. firm — a company
  24. wave — of the sea

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