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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
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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: bore · saw · bound · kid · spell · hide · patient · bulb

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bound — tied together
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bound — certain
  5. kid — child
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bore — to tire
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — a short time
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bore — to drill
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bound — obliged

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