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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bulb — for light
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. drill — army training
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. dip — to sink
  24. can — a tin

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