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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 120 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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pop — soda
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bear — the animal
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pop — music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bulb — for light
  19. kid — child
  20. mark — a grade
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. kid — to tease

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