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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: rule · drill · deal · pop · trunk · bulb · mine · swing

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. swing — to play on
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. swing — music
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rule — a law
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — soda
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mine — for digging
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. swing — in golf
  19. rule — government
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rule — to rule out
  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