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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 116 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stock — shares
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cue — for pool
  24. plane — an aircraft

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