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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: mine · mate · date · toast · band · bulb · bore · trunk

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. band — a ring
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bore — to tire
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bulb — for light
  15. band — a music group
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mate — a friend
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. date — the fruit
  22. toast — bread
  23. mate — a partner
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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