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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. kick — in football
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. chip — for betting
  7. row — a line
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. row — to paddle
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stock — goods
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bore — to drill
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. fall — the season
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stock — shares
  20. fall — to drop
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bore — to tire
  24. chip — to eat

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