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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.

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 · sharp · bulb · last · pit · patient · bowl · craft

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. craft — boats
  6. last — to go on
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. last — finally
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pit — a hole
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. drill — the tool
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. drill — army training
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. last — final
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pit — in a race

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