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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. The water is too ________________.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. cold — an illness
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. plane — a tool
  7. kick — in football
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. swing — music
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. swing — to play on
  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