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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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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: shower · suit · bulb · net · drill · deal · calf · bat

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bulb — for light
  9. shower — rain
  10. net — in sport
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bat — the animal
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. suit — clothes
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. drill — army training
  19. shower — to wash
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. suit — in cards
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bulb — for light

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