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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bank — for money
  5. bulb — for light
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. face — to confront
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — army training
  12. bulb — for light
  13. scale — in music
  14. bank — of a river
  15. mug — a face
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bank — for money
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. scale — size or range
  24. sharp — with an edge

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