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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: coach · bore · mark · jam · scale · bowl · tube · mug

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mug — a cup
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mug — a face
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mark — a grade
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mug — to rob
  13. scale — in music
  14. tube — a container
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. tube — the underground
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bore — to drill
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. coach — a trainer

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