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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: mark · temple · tube · bore · dip · fan · band · can

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bore — to drill
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. can — a tin
  15. mark — a grade
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mark — a trace
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. band — a ring
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. band — a music group
  24. fan — to cool the air

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