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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 120 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 · drill · pound · fan · bulb · lie · bore · object

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. object — a thing
  8. drill — army training
  9. can — a tin
  10. object — to protest
  11. drill — the tool
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. drill — a practice
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — an aim

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