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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. drill — the tool
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rest — what's left
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rest — a break
  17. bulb — for light
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rest — what's left
  23. saw — the tool
  24. 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