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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 116 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: pass · file · bark · plane · bore · cap · tube · stock

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. tube — a container
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. file — a line of people
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stock — shares
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. cap — a lid
  17. file — a document
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. file — a tool
  20. cap — a hat
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stock — goods

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