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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: spell · present · cabinet · lash · sharp · bulb · pit · bore

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pit — a hole
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pit — in a race
  15. present — the time now
  16. bulb — for light
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. spell — magic
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. spell — letters
  24. lash — to lash out

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