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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 116 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: mug · bulb · fine · bore · lean · wound · bear · cap

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fine — all right
  10. cap — a lid
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bore — to drill
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mug — a face
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mug — to rob
  19. lean — to bend
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lean — thin
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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