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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rest — a break
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rest — what's left
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fan — a supporter
  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