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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 120 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 · present · ground · tube · nail · bulb · stand · bore

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. present — the time now
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. tube — the underground
  10. ground — a position
  11. bulb — for light
  12. present — a gift
  13. bore — to drill
  14. present — there
  15. bear — the animal
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. tube — a container
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stand — to bear

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