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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
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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: ball · squash · bore · kick · bay · tube · wake · staff

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  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. tube — in a tire
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. ball — a dance
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wake — a trail
  8. kick — in football
  9. staff — a stick
  10. squash — the sport
  11. staff — employees
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. staff — employees
  18. squash — to crush
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. tube — a container
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — gave birth
  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