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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. board — a committee
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hand — help
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bass — low music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — to get on
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. perch — the fish
  24. lash — to lash out

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