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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: drill · face · bulb · saw · chip · board · pit · toast

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. toast — bread
  3. board — a committee
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. drill — a practice
  6. face — part of the head
  7. chip — to eat
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. face — to confront
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bulb — for light
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pit — in a race
  17. face — to point toward
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. board — to get on
  22. drill — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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