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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. chip — for betting
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — happy
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. craft — boats
  14. bore — to tire
  15. content — the amount
  16. key — for a lock
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. key — in music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chip — to eat
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bulb — for light

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