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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mug — a cup
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mug — a face
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pound — a weight
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bulb — for light
  21. scale — in music
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. rest — what's left

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