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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: mug · suit · cell · band · mine · tube · bore · mark

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bore — to drill
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. band — a ring
  6. mug — a face
  7. tube — a container
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. band — a music group
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bore — to tire
  13. suit — clothes
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mark — a grade
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. mine — for digging
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — a phone

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