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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: stick · bore · bulb · game · race · fan · scale · bear

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. game — wild animals
  5. race — the arms race
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. race — a contest
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bulb — for light
  15. game — a match
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bear — the animal
  18. scale — in music
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bear — the animal
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. race — humankind

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