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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — the underground
  6. drill — the tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mug — to rob
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to confront
  11. land — ground
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. face — to point toward
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — a practice
  19. tube — a container
  20. land — a country
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. mug — a cup
  23. land — to come down
  24. bear — the animal

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