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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. drill — army training
  5. vault — a safe
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. capital — a city
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. drill — a practice
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — a group
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — money
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bulb — for light

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