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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pop — music
  4. bore — to tire
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bore — to drill
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. stock — goods
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. present — a gift
  14. pop — to visit
  15. present — there
  16. club — a group
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. club — for golf
  19. pop — soda
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bulb — for light
  23. sharp — clever
  24. present — the time now

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