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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. drill — army training
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. suit — in cards
  6. drill — the tool
  7. club — a group
  8. suit — to fit
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. drill — a practice
  11. ground — a position
  12. club — for golf
  13. ground — crushed
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. club — for dancing
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ground — the earth
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fork — in a road

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