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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: straw · cabinet · capital · bulb · bore · bear · mark · tube

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. capital — a city
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bore — to drill
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. tube — a container
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bear — the animal
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bore — to tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. capital — money
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bear — to put up with

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