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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.

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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: firm · wind · bound · prune · drill · straw · bulb · kick

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. drill — army training
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. drill — the tool
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bulb — for light
  11. drill — a practice
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. firm — steady
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bound — certain
  16. firm — a company
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — decided
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. wind — moving air
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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