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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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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: scale · bore · wound · tube · suit · jam · wave · deal

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. scale — size or range
  11. wound — an injury
  12. scale — in music
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bore — to tire
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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