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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.

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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: pitcher · bore · patient · pop · chest · bulb · cue · can

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pop — soda
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pop — music
  11. chest — a box
  12. cue — a hint
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bulb — for light
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. can — a tin
  20. bore — to tire
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cue — a signal
  24. can — a tin

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