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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. game — wild animals
  4. perch — the fish
  5. game — a match
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bulb — for light
  8. craft — boats
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. key — in music
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. craft — a skill
  21. snap — to click
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bulb — for light

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