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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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468
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: plane · can · drill · nail · chest · bulb · cabinet · racket

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. can — to be able to
  3. plane — a tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. can — a tin
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. drill — the tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. drill — army training
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. drill — a practice
  22. chest — of your body
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. nail — on a finger

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