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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. clip — a video
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. firm — a company
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. clip — for paper
  11. lean — thin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. firm — decided
  17. clip — to cut
  18. bore — to tire
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bulb — for light
  24. firm — steady

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