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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: bore · calf · pass · tube · snap · temple · bowl · face

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bore — to tire
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bore — to drill
  14. face — to point toward
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. face — to confront
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. snap — to click

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