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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 124 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bulb — for light
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bass — low music
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. rash — a series
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. perch — the fish
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. tube — a container
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bass — the fish
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — to drill
  24. safe — a strongbox

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