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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: swing · craft · bulb · lean · coach · mark · bore · capital

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. lean — to bend
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bore — to tire
  14. capital — a city
  15. capital — money
  16. lean — thin
  17. craft — boats
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. swing — in golf
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mark — a grade
  24. craft — a handicraft

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