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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. drill — the tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. drill — army training
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. branch — a division
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bulb — for light
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. march — the month
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. drill — a practice
  17. march — the month
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. march — music
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. branch — of a bank

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