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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. present — a gift
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kick — in football
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. present — there
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. band — a music group
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. present — the time now
  15. shower — rain
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a ring
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. shower — to wash
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bear — the animal

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