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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: deal · bore · dip · tube · cap · cue · toast · spring

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. spring — the season
  4. deal — to handle
  5. toast — bread
  6. tube — a container
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — of ice
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. spring — a coil
  16. cue — a hint
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. spring — of water
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. cue — for pool
  22. tube — the underground
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. deal — an agreement

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