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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 116 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: fine · rule · rest · racket · tube · mine · bore · wave

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. tube — the underground
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. tube — a container
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mine — for digging
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. fine — all right
  24. mine — an explosive

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