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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pass — a permit
  8. spell — letters
  9. shower — rain
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. spell — magic
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. shower — to wash
  14. spell — a short time
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stand — to bear
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. calf — a young animal
  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