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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. dip — to sink
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. drill — a practice
  6. chip — for betting
  7. drill — army training
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. court — for sport
  11. prune — to trim
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. court — of a king
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. chip — to eat
  17. foot — a measure
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. board — a committee
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — to get on
  23. court — of law
  24. board — a flat piece

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