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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: rash · bulb · bore · pop · bank · object · drill · rest

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. 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. bank — of a river
  2. bore — to tire
  3. object — a thing
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pop — soda
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pop — music
  12. rest — a break
  13. drill — the tool
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. rest — what's left
  17. drill — army training
  18. rest — what's left
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bank — for money
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rash — a series
  23. bank — for money
  24. 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