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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. kick — in football
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. game — wild animals
  17. deal — to handle
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. game — a match
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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