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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: deal · tube · bore · mark · foot · mine · plane · pass

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. tube — a container
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pass — a permit
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. plane — a tool
  24. deal — to handle

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