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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 120 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: can · pound · mine · cap · squash · root · bulb · bore

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. root — of a plant
  4. squash — to crush
  5. can — a tin
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. mine — for digging
  14. root — the cause
  15. squash — the sport
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. cap — a lid
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. root — of a word
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cap — a hat

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