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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — the animal
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. firm — steady
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. firm — decided
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. tear — from crying
  23. firm — a company
  24. tear — to rip

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