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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
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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: season · nail · bulb · drill · stock · squash · leaves · spring

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. drill — a practice
  3. stock — shares
  4. drill — army training
  5. squash — the sport
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. squash — to crush
  11. season — of the year
  12. bulb — for light
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. spring — a coil
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. spring — of water
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. spring — the season
  20. stock — goods
  21. bulb — for light
  22. drill — the tool
  23. season — in sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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