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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bulb — for light
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. wake — a trail
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stock — shares
  12. game — a match
  13. stock — goods
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. ball — a dance
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bulb — for light
  24. date — on the calendar

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