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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 120 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. last — finally
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bear — the animal
  10. dip — to sink
  11. current — electric
  12. tear — from crying
  13. drill — the tool
  14. kick — in football
  15. last — to go on
  16. bear — the animal
  17. last — final
  18. tear — to rip
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bulb — for light
  22. drill — a practice
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bear — to put up with

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