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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. band — a music group
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. band — a ring
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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