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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. file — a line of people
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. present — a gift
  8. file — a tool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. bulb — for light
  13. file — a document
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. present — there
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bulb — for light
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. game — wild animals
  22. present — the time now
  23. roll — a list
  24. fork — to eat 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