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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. perch — the fish
  8. file — a document
  9. pop — music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rest — a break
  17. bulb — for light
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rest — what's left
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. plane — a tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a tool

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