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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: bound · present · fan · drill · plane · bulb · cell · hide

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. present — the time now
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bound — obliged
  5. drill — army training
  6. cell — a phone
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. present — a gift
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — in biology
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. drill — the tool
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bound — tied together
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. drill — a practice
  23. present — there
  24. bound — certain

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