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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
468
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: bulb · pound · arm · nail · bore · rock · pass · bat

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — for dogs

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