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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bound — tied together
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pitch — completely
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chip — to eat
  24. leaves — of a tree

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