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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mug — a face
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. mine — for digging
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. drill — army training
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. drill — the tool

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