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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  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. lean — to rest against
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ground — crushed
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mug — a face
  9. march — the month
  10. mug — to rob
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. march — the month
  15. pop — music
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pop — soda
  21. ground — a position
  22. march — music
  23. lean — thin
  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