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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. capital — money
  5. wake — a trail
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bound — certain
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. capital — a city
  16. bound — obliged
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. snap — to click
  24. bulb — for light

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