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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. degree — from a university
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. club — for dancing
  6. field — farmland
  7. club — for golf
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bulb — for light
  10. field — for sport
  11. club — a group
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. degree — temperature
  15. field — a subject
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rock — music
  23. bore — to tire
  24. degree — an amount

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