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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. present — there
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. firm — steady
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mug — to rob
  12. present — a gift
  13. cell — a phone
  14. firm — decided
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mug — a cup
  18. firm — a company
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mug — a face
  22. present — the time now
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — in biology

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