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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. wake — a trail
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. net — for catching
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pound — a weight
  9. mug — a cup
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. mug — a face
  15. suit — clothes
  16. net — in sport
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. net — after costs
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. drill — the tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. drill — army training

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