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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 120 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: tube · mate · rash · cell · last · bore · current · stock

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rash — a series
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. cell — in biology
  9. last — final
  10. last — finally
  11. current — happening now
  12. stock — goods
  13. mate — a friend
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stock — shares
  16. tube — the underground
  17. cell — a phone
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. current — electric
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bore — to tire
  23. current — of water
  24. last — to go on

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