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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
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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 · cell · tube · bulb · stick · pitcher · plane · drill

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. cell — a phone
  3. tube — a container
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. drill — army training
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cell — in biology
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. season — of the year
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. plane — a tool
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. drill — a practice
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. tube — the underground
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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