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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: tube · saw · club · cabinet · band · bore · bay · ruler

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. tube — the underground
  3. band — a ring
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — a container
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. club — a group
  21. saw — the tool
  22. band — a music group
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

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