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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: bore · season · rest · bulb · lash · temple · suit · current

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bore — to drill
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rest — a break
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. season — in sport
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. season — of the year
  16. bore — to tire
  17. rest — what's left
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. current — electric
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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