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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rule — a law
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. degree — an amount
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. degree — from a university
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pit — in a race
  12. firm — steady
  13. pit — a hole
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. kid — child
  16. rule — government
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. degree — temperature
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. firm — a company
  21. bulb — for light
  22. kid — to tease
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. firm — decided

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