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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: dip · ground · wound · bulb · arm · mine · tube · bore

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wound — an injury
  7. dip — to sink
  8. ground — a position
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. tube — a container
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ground — the earth
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ground — crushed
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bore — to drill
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bore — to tire

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