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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bulb — for light
  6. game — a match
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. game — wild animals
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. perch — the fish
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fine — all right
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. last — final
  16. can — a tin
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fine — high quality
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. last — finally
  24. fine — a penalty

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