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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bore — to tire
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rule — a law
  11. mug — to rob
  12. rule — government
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bass — low music
  19. row — a line
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mug — a cup

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