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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. land — to come down
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. wind — moving air
  12. object — to protest
  13. bulb — for light
  14. object — a thing
  15. land — ground
  16. drill — army training
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. pound — a weight
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. object — an aim
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. land — a country
  24. pound — for dogs

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