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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bulb — for light
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spring — the season
  10. rash — hasty
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. spring — of water
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spring — a coil
  19. rash — a series
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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