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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: tube · chip · leaves · bore · suit · bay · shower · lie

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. tube — a container
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. tube — the underground
  12. lie — to recline
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bore — to tire
  16. chip — to eat
  17. suit — clothes
  18. shower — to wash
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. shower — rain
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to drill

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