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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. drill — a practice
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. branch — a division
  11. stand — to bear
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lie — to recline
  14. season — in sport
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. drill — the tool
  21. season — of the year
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  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