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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: bulb · hand · bore · drill · bear · bowl · pass · spring

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. drill — army training
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. spring — the season
  8. bear — the animal
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. hand — help
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bore — to tire
  24. hand — part of the body

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