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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. firm — a company
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — for sport
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bore — to tire
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. board — to get on
  13. bulb — for light
  14. firm — steady
  15. court — of law
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. firm — decided
  22. bore — to drill
  23. board — a committee
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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