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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: foot · object · drill · hide · spell · board · kid · bulb

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. spell — letters
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kid — to tease
  10. spell — a short time
  11. object — an aim
  12. bulb — for light
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bulb — for light
  17. object — a thing
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. drill — a practice
  22. spell — magic
  23. object — to protest
  24. kid — child

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