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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 120 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: tube · degree · bay · pit · bore · file · last · suit

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. file — a document
  3. last — finally
  4. file — a line of people
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. degree — from a university
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. file — a tool
  11. degree — temperature
  12. tube — a container
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bore — to tire
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — final
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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