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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: bat · bay · present · plane · wound · tube · kick · bore

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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. bore — gave birth
  3. wound — an injury
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wound — an injury
  7. plane — a tool
  8. tube — a container
  9. present — a gift
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bore — to drill
  13. kick — in football
  14. present — there
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. present — the time now
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — the underground
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bore — to 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