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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pound — a weight
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — a trail
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. snap — to click
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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