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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. squash — to crush
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. firm — a company
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bore — to tire
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. firm — decided
  20. squash — the sport
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. staff — a stick

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