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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bore — to drill
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. ground — the earth
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bore — to tire
  18. snap — to click
  19. ground — a position
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chip — to eat
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bulb — for light

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