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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. land — to come down
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. land — ground
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. land — a country

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