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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. key — in music
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. file — a line of people
  6. pop — to visit
  7. key — for a lock
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pop — soda
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. tube — a container
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pop — music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bank — of a river

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