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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bulb — for light
  3. object — a thing
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. object — to protest
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pop — to visit
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rest — what's left
  11. drill — the tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. pop — soda
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rest — a break
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pop — music
  21. drill — army training
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. object — an aim
  24. nail — for a hammer

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