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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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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: object · bulb · fork · dip · rule · present · drill · wound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. object — a thing
  3. rule — a law
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. drill — army training
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. present — there
  9. fork — in a road
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. object — an aim
  14. drill — a practice
  15. present — the time now
  16. rule — government
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. object — to protest
  20. drill — the tool
  21. present — a gift
  22. dip — to sink
  23. wound — an injury
  24. dip — a sauce

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