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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. object — a thing
  6. bulb — for light
  7. object — to protest
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pit — a hole
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bound — certain
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. object — an aim
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. pit — in a race
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bound — obliged

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