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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: saw · tube · toast · jam · season · bore · date · scale

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. scale — size or range
  6. tube — the underground
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bore — to drill
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. date — the fruit
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. season — in sport
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. season — of the year
  22. bore — to tire
  23. toast — bread
  24. saw — the tool

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