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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: object · bulb · tear · drill · rest · pop · mug · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. tear — from crying
  3. object — to protest
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pop — to visit
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mug — a cup
  11. tear — to rip
  12. drill — army training
  13. pop — music
  14. drill — the tool
  15. rest — a break
  16. tear — from crying
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mug — a face
  24. pop — soda

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