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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: bear · fall · bore · content · arm · bulb · net · mate

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. net — for catching
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mate — to breed
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mate — a partner
  12. net — after costs
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. content — happy
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. net — in sport
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. content — the amount
  23. fall — the season
  24. bear — the animal

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