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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
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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: present · bulb · bore · temple · last · suit · stand · bowl

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. last — final
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. last — to go on
  6. present — the time now
  7. bulb — for light
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bulb — for light
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. last — finally
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stand — to bear
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. present — there
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bulb — of a plant

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