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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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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: pit · bulb · mark · calf · chip · drill · pass · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bore — to drill
  6. drill — army training
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bore — to tire
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. mark — a grade
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. drill — a practice
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pit — in a race
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mark — a trace
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. drill — the tool
  24. chip — to eat

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