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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.

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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 · pit · nail · fall · bore · fan · stick · present

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fall — the season
  7. bulb — for light
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. pit — in a race
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fall — to drop
  21. present — there
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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