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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mug — a face
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. spell — magic
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bulb — for light
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — letters
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spell — a short time
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. plane — a tool
  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