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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 124 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bass — the fish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. firm — decided
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kid — child
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — a practice
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. lie — to recline
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. firm — a company
  20. kid — to tease
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. plane — a tool
  23. firm — steady
  24. bass — low music

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