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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.

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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: present · bulb · key · squash · drill · fork · lie · ruler

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. present — a gift
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. key — the most important part
  8. squash — the sport
  9. key — in music
  10. present — the time now
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bulb — for light
  13. squash — to crush
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. present — there
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fork — in a road
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bulb — of a plant

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