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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 116 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. wake — a trail
  8. mug — to rob
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mug — a face
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bound — certain
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bound — obliged
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. branch — a division
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wind — moving air

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