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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 120 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: lean · ball · snap · foot · bore · bulb · tube · suit

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. suit — clothes
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bore — to tire
  9. tube — a container
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. snap — to click
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lean — to bend
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bore — to drill
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ball — a dance
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. lean — thin

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