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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: bore · object · bowl · jam · track · tube · saw · press

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. object — an aim
  3. track — a path
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. track — a song
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. object — a thing
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — to drill
  15. track — to keep track
  16. tube — the underground
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. object — to protest
  20. tube — a container
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. jam — a tight spot

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