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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bulb — for light
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mate — to breed
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. board — a committee
  11. bore — to tire
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bulb — for light
  14. board — to get on
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bore — to drill
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wake — a trail
  20. dip — to sink
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mate — a friend
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. board — a flat piece

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