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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 124 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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stock — shares
  7. bore — to drill
  8. tube — a container
  9. lean — thin
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. tube — the underground
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — goods
  22. bore — to tire
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bulb — for light

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