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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 124 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bore — to tire
  17. stock — goods
  18. pit — in a race
  19. shower — rain
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stock — shares
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — for digging

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