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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. object — an aim
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rest — what's left
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — a thing
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rest — a break
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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