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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. hand — in cards
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bulb — for light
  8. season — of the year
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hand — help
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. season — in sport
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. drill — army training
  20. bulb — for light
  21. drill — the tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. ruler — a monarch

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