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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 124 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. can — a tin
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. object — an aim
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. object — to protest
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — a thing
  17. hand — help
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — to come from
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bore — to drill
  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