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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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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 · fine · temple · straw · snap · stand · track · bore

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. track — a song
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. track — a path
  6. fine — all right
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stand — to bear
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bore — to tire
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. track — to keep track
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. tube — a container
  19. snap — to click
  20. tube — the underground
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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