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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: present · bulb · pound · bore · bear · stock · nail · bass

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stock — shares
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — low music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stock — goods
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pound — a weight
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bulb — for light
  23. present — a gift
  24. bear — to put up with

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