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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. drill — army training
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mine — for digging
  5. dip — to sink
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bulb — for light
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. craft — boats
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wind — moving air
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. drill — the tool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. nail — on a finger

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