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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 · stock · bore · rock · stem · chest · bowl · bass

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stem — to come from
  3. chest — a box
  4. bass — low music
  5. stock — goods
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. tube — the underground
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bore — to tire
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bore — to drill
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stock — shares
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rock — music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bass — the fish

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