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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. drill — a practice
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bulb — for light
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. drill — army training
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pop — to visit
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. pop — music
  15. chair — a leader
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pop — soda
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spring — of water
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spring — the season

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