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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. chair — a leader
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bore — to drill
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. pitch — completely
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bark — to shout
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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