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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. drill — army training
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bore — to tire
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. drill — the tool
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bulb — for light
  16. drill — a practice
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. ball — a round shape

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