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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — a series
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bore — to drill
  8. rash — hasty
  9. club — a group
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ground — a position
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. club — for dancing
  15. lean — to bend
  16. club — for golf
  17. wake — a trail
  18. lean — thin
  19. ground — the earth
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bore — to tire

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