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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. rock — music
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mark — a trace
  7. object — to protest
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. object — an aim
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bulb — for light
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. object — a thing
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bulb — for light
  24. dip — to sink

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