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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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — music
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fine — all right
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bark — to shout
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mark — a trace
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fall — the season
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. fine — high quality

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