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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. game — a match
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bore — to drill
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bulb — for light
  7. land — ground
  8. land — to come down
  9. mark — a trace
  10. band — a music group
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. band — a ring
  13. land — a country
  14. board — a committee
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bore — to tire
  18. board — to get on
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mark — a grade

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