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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 116 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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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: staff · sharp · tube · cap · dip · bulb · drill · vault

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cap — a hat
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bulb — for light
  8. staff — a stick
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. staff — employees
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cap — a lid
  14. staff — employees
  15. vault — a safe
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. sharp — clever
  19. tube — the underground
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — a container
  23. drill — army training
  24. cap — of ice

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