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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. cap — a lid
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lean — thin
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. prune — to trim
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. cap — a hat
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. lean — to bend
  16. shower — rain
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. cap — of ice
  21. prune — to trim
  22. shower — to wash
  23. rock — music
  24. bulb — for light

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