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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: bore · bulb · hand · pit · rest · chip · can · mate

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — a hole
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mate — a friend
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bore — to tire
  11. can — a tin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rest — a break
  17. can — a tin
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bore — to drill
  24. hand — help

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