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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: arm · bay · bulb · fan · press · drill · sharp · board

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. drill — the tool
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bulb — for light
  6. press — to push
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. board — a committee
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. press — a publisher
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. drill — a practice
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. board — to get on
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. sharp — clever

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