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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. drill — army training
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. row — a line
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. row — to paddle
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. drill — a practice
  24. mine — an explosive

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