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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 116 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: bulb · kick · fan · ball · cap · cell · bore · tear

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cap — a lid
  8. tear — from crying
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. kick — in football
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cap — of ice
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. tear — from crying
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cell — in biology
  21. tear — to rip
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ball — a great time

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