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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: saw · ball · prune · bulb · drill · mate · pitcher · key

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. key — in music
  5. mate — a partner
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mate — to breed
  15. key — for a lock
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. prune — to trim
  19. drill — army training
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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