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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: mine · pitch · mug · tube · bark · cap · bulb · bore

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. tube — a container
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bulb — for light
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bark — to shout
  8. mug — a face
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mine — for digging
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mug — to rob

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