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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pit — a hole
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — in a race
  6. drill — army training
  7. firm — decided
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. content — happy
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. row — to paddle
  24. nail — for a hammer

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