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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. content — happy
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. content — the amount
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bore — to tire
  12. charge — a price
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. charge — in control
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. charge — electricity
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rock — music

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