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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. file — a line of people
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — employees
  6. file — a document
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pop — music
  9. game — a match
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pop — soda
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. file — a tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bear — the animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. staff — a stick
  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