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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: temple · mate · bore · coach · date · tube · chip · pound

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. chip — to eat
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bore — to tire
  12. chip — for betting
  13. tube — a container
  14. pound — a weight
  15. mate — a partner
  16. tube — the underground
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. mate — a friend
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. date — on the calendar

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