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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mug — a face
  4. bulb — for light
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. ground — a position
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rush — hurry
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pop — to visit
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pop — soda
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bulb — of a plant

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