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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. file — a document
  8. bass — the fish
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. file — a line of people
  18. file — a tool
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bore — to drill
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bass — low music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wave — of the sea

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