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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: bear · bore · chip · rash · bark · mug · bulb · saw

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bore — to drill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bark — to shout
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mug — a face
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rash — hasty
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. rash — a series
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bore — to tire
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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