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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pop — soda
  9. bulb — for light
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pop — music
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ruler — for measuring

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