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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: patient · saw · bulb · suit · bore · sharp · plane · staff

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bulb — for light
  10. staff — employees
  11. saw — the tool
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. plane — a tool
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. sharp — clever
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bulb — for light
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bore — to drill
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bulb — of a plant

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