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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bowl · tube · drill · nail · kid · bulb · ball · mouse

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. drill — a practice
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kid — to tease
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. drill — army training
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. drill — the tool
  24. kid — child

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