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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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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. fall — the season
  5. bore — to tire
  6. drill — the tool
  7. present — there
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bulb — for light
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. drill — army training
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fall — to drop

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