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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. mate — to breed
  3. drill — army training
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. land — to come down
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mate — a partner
  14. drill — the tool
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. drill — a practice
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mate — a friend
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. land — ground
  22. bulb — for light
  23. dip — to sink
  24. land — a country

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