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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — a contest
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. scale — size or range
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. scale — in music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mouse — the animal

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