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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. bulb — of a plant
  2. bore — to tire
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. race — the arms race
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stand — to bear
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. race — humankind
  13. bore — to drill
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. squash — the sport
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. race — a contest
  23. stand — for spectators
  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