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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bulb — for light
  6. capital — a city
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. object — a thing
  9. stand — to bear
  10. land — a country
  11. capital — money
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. object — an aim
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. bass — the fish
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. land — to come down
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bulb — for light
  21. land — ground
  22. bass — low music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bore — to tire

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