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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. band — a music group
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bulb — for light
  7. firm — steady
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. deal — to handle
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. firm — a company
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. band — a ring
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. drill — army training
  22. firm — decided
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bulb — for light

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