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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bark — to shout
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. swing — music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pop — soda
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ground — crushed
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — a position
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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