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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stock — goods
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cap — a lid
  7. rock — a stone
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rock — music
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stock — shares
  16. board — a committee
  17. fall — the season
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. board — to get on
  20. cap — a hat
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cap — of ice

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