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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · face · bulb · bear · rock · rash

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — hasty
  8. face — to point toward
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rock — music
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. drill — a practice
  17. face — to confront
  18. drill — army training

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