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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bore — to tire
  3. row — to paddle
  4. fall — the season
  5. row — a line
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bulb — for light
  9. tear — from crying
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. tear — from crying
  15. season — in sport
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. season — of the year
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fall — to drop

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