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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. date — the fruit
  14. snap — to click
  15. rock — a stone
  16. kid — child
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. branch — a division
  19. rock — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. ruler — a monarch

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