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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: lean · bore · bulb · bowl · deal · branch · wave · bound

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bound — certain
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bound — obliged
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bound — tied together
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. lean — thin
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bore — to drill

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