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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 116 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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. drill — army training
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bulb — for light
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mate — a friend
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mate — a partner
  17. ball — a dance
  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