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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: rest · bore · coach · spring · squash · bulb · mug · ground

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ground — a position
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mug — a face
  9. squash — the sport
  10. mug — a cup
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bore — to tire
  13. spring — the season
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. spring — a coil
  18. mug — to rob
  19. squash — to crush
  20. rest — a break
  21. spring — of water
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bore — to drill

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