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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pit — in a race
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bore — to tire
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. season — of the year
  12. race — a contest
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. race — humankind
  17. cue — a hint
  18. season — in sport
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cue — for pool

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