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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. drill — army training
  4. rash — a series
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. drill — a practice
  11. band — a music group
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rash — hasty
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. band — a ring
  19. vault — a safe
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ground — crushed
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. band — a rubber band

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