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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — army training
  5. scale — in music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. drill — the tool
  9. scale — size or range
  10. can — a tin
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bark — to shout
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chip — to eat
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. can — to be able to
  20. drill — a practice
  21. lean — thin
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. can — a tin
  24. chip — in a computer

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