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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: ruler · perch · bulb · drill · rock · ball · bank · kid

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. drill — a practice
  3. kid — to tease
  4. drill — the tool
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. drill — army training
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rock — music
  18. bank — of a river
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bank — for money
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rock — a stone
  23. kid — child
  24. ball — a round shape

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