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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. saw — the tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. drill — army training
  6. stock — shares
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. drill — a practice
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. firm — a company
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stock — goods
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. bulb — for light
  23. saw — the tool
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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