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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bat — the animal
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. present — there
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. craft — boats
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. charge — a price
  16. craft — a skill
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. charge — in control
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. kick — in football
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bat — for baseball

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