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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. cap — a hat
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. shower — rain
  9. bulb — for light
  10. present — there
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cap — of ice
  17. present — the time now
  18. bulb — for light
  19. toast — bread
  20. shower — to wash
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pass — a permit
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. present — a gift

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