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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. hand — help
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. hand — in cards
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. ruler — for measuring

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