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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. fine — high quality
  3. drill — army training
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bulb — for light
  7. object — a thing
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bore — to tire
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. degree — from a university
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. drill — a practice
  14. object — to protest
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. object — an aim
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. bore — to drill
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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