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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.

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: drill · foot · kid · rock · branch · dip · bulb · bear

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. dip — to sink
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. rock — music
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bear — the animal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. branch — a division
  14. rock — a stone
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. kid — child
  20. drill — army training
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bulb — for light
  23. drill — a practice
  24. foot — the bottom

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