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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. dip — to sink
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ball — a great time
  6. object — to protest
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. chest — a box
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — an aim
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ball — a dance
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — of your body
  24. object — a thing

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