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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — what's left
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. tube — the underground
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. snap — to click
  14. rest — a break
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. tube — a container
  18. suit — in cards
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ruler — for measuring

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