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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. row — a line
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. rock — music
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bound — certain
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. scale — in music
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pitch — completely

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