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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: bay · tube · mouse · bore · spring · arm · bank · present

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. present — a gift
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. spring — of water
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. tube — a container
  10. present — there
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. spring — a coil
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bank — for money
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. spring — the season
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bank — of a river
  24. present — the time now

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