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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: bulb · bay · bore · bank · squash · calf

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bank — for money
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bank — for money
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bore — to drill
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bulb — for light
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bore — gave birth

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