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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: last · chest · mug · racket · bore · firm · straw · tube

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. firm — a company
  5. mug — a cup
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bore — to drill
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mug — a face
  15. last — final
  16. bore — to tire
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. chest — of your body
  19. last — to go on
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. mug — to rob
  22. chest — a box
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. last — finally

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