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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 124 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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. saw — the tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rush — hurry
  11. capital — money
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bore — to drill
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. capital — a city
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. toast — bread
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bore — to tire
  24. calf — a young animal

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