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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 120 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: bulb · net · sharp · deal · drill · ruler · pit · face

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. net — in sport
  4. deal — to handle
  5. net — for catching
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pit — a hole
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. net — after costs
  14. pit — in a race
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. sharp — clever
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — a practice

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