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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 120 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bore — to tire
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. wind — moving air
  7. object — to protest
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bear — the animal
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. object — a thing
  12. snap — to click
  13. bore — to drill
  14. wind — moving air
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. object — an aim
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. foot — a measure
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. foot — part of the body
  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