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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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