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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 120 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. net — for catching
  3. drill — the tool
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. drill — a practice
  15. net — after costs
  16. lie — to recline
  17. tube — a container
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. net — in sport
  23. suit — clothes
  24. drill — army training

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