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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stock — goods
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bulb — for light
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. can — a tin
  21. dip — to sink
  22. kick — in football
  23. stock — shares
  24. bore — to drill

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