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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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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 · current · bore · pit · club · stem · nail · shower

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bore — to tire
  4. current — electric
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tube — the underground
  7. club — for dancing
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pit — in a race
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. shower — rain
  15. tube — a container
  16. club — for golf
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bore — to drill
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. shower — to wash

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