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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. clip — to cut
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pop — soda
  7. swing — music
  8. clip — for paper
  9. clip — a video
  10. bore — to drill
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pop — music
  15. swing — to play on
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — in golf
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bowl — a dish

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