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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.

Words on the sheet
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: roll · straw · bulb · fan · lash · bore · drill · vault

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bulb — for light
  3. drill — army training
  4. bore — to drill
  5. drill — the tool
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. roll — a list
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. vault — a safe
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. drill — a practice
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bore — to tire
  22. roll — a cake
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. fan — a supporter

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