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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bulb — for light
  9. swing — music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bore — to drill
  13. track — a path
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pit — in a race
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rock — music
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pit — a hole
  22. track — a song
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rush — to hurry

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