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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. deal — to handle
  6. content — happy
  7. track — a song
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. scale — in music
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bore — to drill
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rock — a stone
  19. track — a path
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. suit — clothes
  24. scale — size or range

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