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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 120 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
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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: saw · charge · tube · coach · bulb · present · land · bore

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. land — to come down
  7. present — there
  8. tube — the underground
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bore — to tire
  11. land — ground
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. tube — a container
  16. bore — to drill
  17. land — a country
  18. bulb — for light
  19. charge — electricity
  20. saw — the tool
  21. present — a gift
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. tube — in a tire

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