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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. row — a line
  3. bound — tied together
  4. row — to paddle
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bulb — for light
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mug — a face
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bulb — for light
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. drill — army training
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. drill — a practice
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mug — to rob
  24. row — a quarrel

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