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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
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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: bore · bear · degree · net · fan · bulb · chip · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bear — the animal
  3. net — for catching
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. degree — temperature
  9. net — after costs
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bore — to drill
  13. chip — to eat
  14. net — in sport
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. degree — from a university
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rock — music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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