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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pop — soda
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. ground — a position
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bore — to tire
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bat — the animal
  22. pop — music
  23. bat — for baseball
  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