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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bore — to drill
  8. net — in sport
  9. staff — employees
  10. can — a tin
  11. firm — decided
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bulb — for light
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. can — a tin
  22. net — after costs
  23. cell — in biology
  24. net — for catching

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