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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.

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: stem · bulb · rush · saw · net · dip · drill · ball

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stem — to come from
  3. net — for catching
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — hurry
  6. drill — the tool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. drill — army training
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. net — in sport
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. net — after costs
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stem — a stem cell

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