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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: bay · tube · bore · stock · firm · roll · mouse · staff

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. roll — a list
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. tube — a container
  6. roll — a cake
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. firm — a company
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — decided
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bore — to tire
  15. firm — steady
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. stock — goods
  23. staff — employees
  24. bay — a horse colour

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