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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — to handle
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. tear — from crying
  9. drill — army training
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. tear — from crying
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bank — for money
  18. ground — crushed
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. drill — a practice
  22. tear — to rip
  23. drill — the tool
  24. ground — a position

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