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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
468
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: present · bear · pit · patient · tube · bore · bulb · fine

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. fine — all right
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pit — a hole
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. bore — to drill
  20. tube — a container
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. present — there

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