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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: suit · temple · bore · present · bay · tube · chair · bark

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. present — there
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. chair — a leader
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. suit — in cards
  15. present — a gift
  16. bore — to tire
  17. suit — to fit
  18. tube — a container
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. tube — the underground
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. present — the time now
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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