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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mug — a cup
  5. craft — boats
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. snap — to click
  9. mug — a face
  10. drill — a practice
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fall — to drop
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. perch — the fish
  19. fall — the season
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bulb — for light
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stem — to come from

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