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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bulb — for light
  4. clip — a video
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. drill — army training
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. clip — to cut
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mark — a trace

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