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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.

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: bulb · perch · bore · object · tear · bay · rush · bat

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. object — a thing
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. object — an aim
  12. tear — from crying
  13. object — to protest
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bat — the animal
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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