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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. charge — in control
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bulb — for light
  17. charge — a price
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. chest — of your body
  20. shower — to wash
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — rain

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