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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cap — a hat
  6. present — a gift
  7. degree — temperature
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cap — a lid
  11. can — a tin
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. can — to be able to
  14. degree — from a university
  15. present — there
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cap — of ice
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. can — a tin
  20. degree — an amount
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. present — the time now
  24. bore — to drill

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