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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: wave · bore · dip · bear · bulb · pitcher · date · leaves

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bore — to tire
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bore — to drill
  24. leaves — lets stay

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