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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. march — the month
  12. bass — the fish
  13. board — a committee
  14. march — the month
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. board — to get on
  18. pit — in a race
  19. march — music
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pit — a hole
  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