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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: root · bay · object · arm · bore · tube · temple · coach

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bore — to drill
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. object — to protest
  7. bore — to tire
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. root — the cause
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. object — an aim
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. tube — the underground
  22. object — a thing
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. tube — a container

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