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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: current · bore · foot · bat · bulb · tube · suit · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. suit — in cards
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bulb — for light
  10. spell — letters
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. tube — a container
  13. bulb — for light
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. suit — to fit
  18. spell — magic
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. current — electric
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bat — the animal

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