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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool

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