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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: present · bark · drill · mug · wake · rule · bulb · perch

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. drill — army training
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. drill — a practice
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rule — government
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. present — the time now
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wake — a trail
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rule — a law
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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