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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bore — to tire
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. season — of the year
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rest — a break
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. season — in sport
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bulb — for light
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cell — in biology
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rest — what's left

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