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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: craft · bulb · bore · drill · calf · snap · cell · mouse

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bulb — for light
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. craft — boats
  12. drill — army training
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cell — in biology
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. snap — to click

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