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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. ground — the earth
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bulb — for light
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wound — an injury
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wound — an injury
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ground — a position
  13. mate — to breed
  14. drill — the tool
  15. tube — the underground
  16. staff — employees
  17. tube — a container
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. drill — army training
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. ground — crushed
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. mate — a friend

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