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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 120 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bulb — for light
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. shower — rain
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bore — to drill
  11. squash — the sport
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. squash — to crush
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bulb — for light
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — in a race
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. shower — to wash

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