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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bore — to tire
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bulb — for light
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. deal — to handle
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mate — a partner
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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