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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · bore · arm · ball · dip · plane · lean · chest

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bore — to drill
  5. chest — a box
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bore — to tire
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. tube — a container
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lean — to bend
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. ball — a great time
  21. dip — to sink
  22. tube — the underground
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. lean — thin

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