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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: key · coach · object · dip · bulb · current · fan · drill

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. drill — a practice
  4. dip — to sink
  5. object — to protest
  6. drill — army training
  7. current — happening now
  8. key — for a lock
  9. object — an aim
  10. drill — the tool
  11. object — a thing
  12. key — in music
  13. current — electric
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. current — of water
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. dip — to dunk

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