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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · bay · ruler · scale · bore · bulb · pound · pit

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. scale — in music
  7. bore — to tire
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pit — in a race

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