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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. tube — the underground
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. board — to get on
  9. drill — army training
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. tube — a container
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. firm — steady
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — a committee
  20. drill — a practice
  21. firm — decided
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bulb — for light

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