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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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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: staff · chest · squash · bear · bulb · saw · bore · kick

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. squash — to crush
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kick — in football
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — to tire
  11. saw — the tool
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bore — to drill
  15. chest — a box
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. chest — of your body
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. chest — of your body
  22. staff — employees
  23. squash — the sport
  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