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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. kick — in football
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. track — a song
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — happening now
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — electric
  11. bore — to drill
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. current — of water
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bore — to tire
  22. track — a path
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. kick — with a leg

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