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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bore — to tire
  5. cell — a phone
  6. mug — a face
  7. squash — to crush
  8. cell — in biology
  9. row — a line
  10. bore — to drill
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. rash — hasty
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. stand — to bear
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. row — to paddle
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. rash — a series
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mug — a cup
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bulb — of a plant

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