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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: cabinet · bore · chest · plane · ball · bowl · bulb · mine

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bore — to tire
  8. chest — a box
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mine — for digging
  20. chest — of your body
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bowl — a football final

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