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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. content — happy
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bore — to drill
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. land — to come down
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. content — the amount
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wake — a trail
  24. land — a country

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