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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 · stem · cabinet · pitcher · wake · bore · bay · last

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. tube — a container
  3. last — final
  4. last — finally
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bore — to drill
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. last — to go on
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stem — to come from
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stem — a stem cell

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