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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. land — a country
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. spring — the season
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bulb — for light
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. hand — help
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. season — in sport
  15. land — ground
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spring — a coil
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. spring — of water
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hand — in cards

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