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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bark — to shout
  5. capital — a city
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bore — to drill
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. capital — money
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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