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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bore — to tire
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cue — a hint
  9. tear — from crying
  10. season — of the year
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. season — in sport
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cue — a signal
  19. key — in music
  20. chest — a box
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chest — of your body
  24. tear — from crying

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