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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: can · suit · tube · bore · board · cold · patient · toast

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. can — to be able to
  3. board — a committee
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. can — a tin
  6. toast — bread
  7. board — to get on
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. can — a tin
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cold — an illness
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bore — to drill
  21. suit — to fit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cold — not warm
  24. suit — clothes

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