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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. net — for catching
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mark — a grade
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. march — music
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bore — to tire
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — a trace
  22. march — the month
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. trunk — of a tree

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