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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: scale · craft · pit · wake · season · snap · bore · bulb

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pit — in a race
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bore — to drill
  6. scale — in music
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pit — a hole
  9. craft — boats
  10. season — of the year
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. snap — to click
  13. wake — a trail
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bore — to tire
  20. scale — size or range
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. season — in sport

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