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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wake · bore · bound · clip · bulb · present · can · rock

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. clip — to cut
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rock — a stone
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rock — music
  8. present — there
  9. bulb — for light
  10. present — a gift
  11. bound — tied together
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bore — to drill
  14. can — to be able to
  15. clip — a video
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. can — a tin
  20. bore — to tire
  21. can — a tin
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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