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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spring — the season
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rash — hasty
  9. spring — a coil
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bore — to drill
  13. spring — of water
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rash — a series

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