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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. fall — the season
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bore — to drill
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bulb — for light
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bear — to put up with

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