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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 · tube · sharp · can · dip · press · stem · track

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bore — to drill
  3. track — a path
  4. press — to push
  5. sharp — clever
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. can — to be able to
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. press — newspapers
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bore — to tire
  19. press — a publisher
  20. stem — to come from
  21. track — to keep track
  22. can — a tin
  23. track — a song
  24. can — a tin

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