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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · spell · tear · mouse · press · bound · bore · tube

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bound — tied together
  3. tear — to rip
  4. pit — in a race
  5. tube — the underground
  6. press — a publisher
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spell — letters
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pit — a hole
  14. spell — magic
  15. bore — to drill
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tube — a container
  18. press — to push
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bound — obliged
  22. spell — a short time
  23. press — newspapers
  24. tube — in a tire

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