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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fine — all right
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lean — to bend
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lean — thin
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. club — for golf
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fine — high quality
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fine — a penalty

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