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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: pit · dip · tube · ruler · shower · bore · craft · temple

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bore — to tire
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pit — a hole
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. tube — the underground
  10. shower — to wash
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. tube — a container
  13. bore — to drill
  14. shower — rain
  15. craft — a skill
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. craft — boats
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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