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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bulb — for light
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. toast — bread
  16. squash — to crush
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a tool
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mate — to breed
  22. season — of the year
  23. mate — a partner
  24. season — in sport

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