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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. staff — employees
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. staff — employees
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bore — to drill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. kick — in football
  19. foot — a measure
  20. shower — rain
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — on your feet

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