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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: cell · spring · wave · dip · leaves · bulb · bore · pass

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. dip — to sink
  3. spring — the season
  4. cell — a phone
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. spring — of water
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cell — in biology
  16. spring — a coil
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — to drill
  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