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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: row · fan · bulb · drill · wound · fall · wave · season

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bulb — for light
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. season — in sport
  11. fall — the season
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fall — to drop
  14. drill — army training
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. row — a line
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. season — of the year
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. fall — to drop

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