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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 124 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: staff · racket · bulb · shower · drill · kick · bowl · rule

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. drill — the tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — a law
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. drill — a practice
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. drill — army training
  20. staff — employees
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rule — government

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