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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: snap · pit · mark · calf · dip · bore · bass · tube

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. snap — to click
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bass — low music
  20. pit — in a race
  21. tube — a container
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — to sink

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