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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: content · wind · kick · drill · arm · bulb · pass · mug

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. mug — a cup
  4. drill — army training
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. content — happy
  10. drill — a practice
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. content — the amount
  13. mug — to rob
  14. drill — the tool
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. kick — in football
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mug — a face

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