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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: pitcher · bore · pop · dip · nail · bulb · mouse · leaves

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — music
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bore — to drill
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bulb — for light
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. dip — to sink

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