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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: present · lash · drill · nail · wind · bulb · tear · suit

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bulb — for light
  3. drill — army training
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bulb — for light
  7. present — the time now
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. present — there
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. tear — to rip
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. present — a gift
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. tear — from crying
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. suit — to fit

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