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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. prune — to trim
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. squash — the sport
  15. charge — a price
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bulb — for light
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. squash — to crush

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