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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bark — to shout
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ground — a position
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. ground — the earth
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. stand — for spectators

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