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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: shower · bulb · can · plane · stick · drill · ball · snap

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. can — to be able to
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. drill — army training
  8. can — a tin
  9. bulb — for light
  10. plane — a tool
  11. snap — to click
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. can — a tin
  16. shower — to wash
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. drill — a practice
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bulb — for light

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