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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · degree · bore · fine · kick · present · snap · stock

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stock — shares
  5. present — the time now
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. present — a gift
  9. kick — in football
  10. snap — to click
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. fine — high quality
  13. degree — temperature
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. fine — all right
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. present — there
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bore — to tire
  23. degree — from a university
  24. stock — goods

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