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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. spell — letters
  3. drill — the tool
  4. wind — moving air
  5. drill — army training
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. suit — clothes
  10. spell — magic
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wind — moving air
  14. spell — a short time
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pit — a hole
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pit — in a race

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