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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 116 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. hand — help
  15. fine — all right
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hand — in cards
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. fine — high quality
  23. scale — in music
  24. hand — part of the body

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