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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. drill — army training
  4. mark — a grade
  5. board — to get on
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. drill — the tool
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rash — hasty
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure

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