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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bulb — for light
  5. board — to get on
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. board — a committee
  11. land — a country
  12. rush — hurry
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. land — to come down
  16. mark — a grade
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. kick — in football
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. land — ground

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