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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 · cabinet · fine · craft · wave · bore · track · bulb

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a song
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. tube — the underground
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tube — a container
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. fine — all right

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