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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: present · row · tube · swing · bore · mate · fork · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. present — there
  6. row — a line
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — a gift
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. swing — music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tube — a container
  23. bore — to tire
  24. row — to paddle

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