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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bore — to tire
  12. season — in sport
  13. suit — in cards
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. season — of the year
  23. plane — a tool
  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