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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: can · wound · stand · nail · temple · object · bulb · drill

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. object — an aim
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. object — a thing
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wound — an injury
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stand — to bear
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. drill — army training
  23. object — to protest
  24. can — a tin

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