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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: bulb · drill · bowl · rest · court · lie · fork · can

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. can — to be able to
  4. court — for sport
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rest — a break
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. lie — to recline
  21. court — of a king
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bulb — for light
  24. court — of law

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