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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rule — a law
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bank — for money
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rule — government
  20. cold — not warm
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. cold — an illness
  24. prune — to trim

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