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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bound — obliged
  12. prune — to trim
  13. spell — magic
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bound — tied together
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bound — certain
  21. deal — to handle
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. spell — letters

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