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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ground — a position
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — army training
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. drill — the tool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ground — the earth
  20. kick — in football
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. drill — a practice

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