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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. roll — a list
  3. tube — a container
  4. clip — to cut
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. roll — a cake
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — a video
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ground — a position
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ground — crushed
  19. row — a line
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cue — a signal
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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