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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kid — to tease
  6. firm — decided
  7. mate — to breed
  8. kid — child
  9. mate — a friend
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. firm — steady
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. foot — a measure
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bore — to tire
  24. firm — a company

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