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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. current — electric
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. current — of water
  8. rush — hurry
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. drill — the tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. drill — a practice
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. drill — army training
  20. current — happening now
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. rush — a thrill

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