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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
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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: bear · cap · lash · drill · foot · plane · bulb · saw

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. cap — a lid
  9. saw — the tool
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. drill — army training
  16. bear — the animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bulb — for light
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bear — to put up with

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