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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. staff — employees
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. content — the amount
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. dip — to sink
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bulb — for light
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. content — happy
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bulb — for light
  21. staff — a stick
  22. cell — in biology
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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