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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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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: suit · pound · pit · bore · bank · bulb · present · straw

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bulb — for light
  12. present — there
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pound — a weight
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. present — the time now
  22. bank — for money
  23. present — a gift
  24. pit — a hole

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