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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 116 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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kid — to tease
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rule — government
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kid — child
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pound — a weight
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rule — a law
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stem — to come from
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. deal — an agreement

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