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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rock — music
  6. can — to be able to
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. can — a tin
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — a position
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bore — to drill
  16. drill — army training
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. can — a tin
  19. bore — to tire
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ground — crushed
  24. drill — a practice

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