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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.

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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: bore · hide · lash · leaves · hand · bulb · current · pitcher

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. current — electric
  13. bore — to tire
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — in cards
  16. current — happening now
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. current — of water

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