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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pit — a hole
  7. root — of a word
  8. pit — in a race
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — in cards
  12. date — the fruit
  13. fall — the season
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. game — a match
  22. bore — to drill
  23. root — the cause
  24. date — on the calendar

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