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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bore — to tire
  8. toast — bread
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bore — to drill
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. fine — all right
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cold — an illness
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fine — high quality

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