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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: roll · bulb · ground · net · dip · bear · object · bore

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. net — in sport
  3. ground — crushed
  4. roll — a list
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ground — a position
  8. net — after costs
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bear — the animal
  12. object — to protest
  13. bulb — for light
  14. object — a thing
  15. net — for catching
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. object — an aim
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bulb — for light
  22. roll — a cake
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — to dunk

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