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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: rash · tube · present · can · bore · rest · bulb · ground

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rest — a break
  6. rash — a series
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. present — the time now
  9. rash — hasty
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — a container
  12. ground — the earth
  13. can — a tin
  14. present — a gift
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — the underground
  20. ground — a position
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bulb — for light

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