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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 116 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 · mate · tube · wound · game · row · coach · suit

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wound — an injury
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bore — to drill
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. tube — a container
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wound — an injury
  18. row — to paddle
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mate — a friend
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. tube — the underground
  24. suit — in cards

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