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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 120 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. net — for catching
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. net — in sport
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. net — after costs
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mine — for digging
  16. foot — a measure
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. rock — music
  24. straw — a straw man

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