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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. game — a match
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. staff — employees
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. bulb — for light
  11. firm — decided
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rule — government
  14. bulb — for light
  15. game — wild animals
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ball — a great time
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. ball — a dance
  23. staff — employees
  24. rule — a law

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