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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. firm — decided
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bark — to shout
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. squash — the sport
  16. firm — a company
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. net — in sport
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. firm — steady
  21. net — after costs
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bulb — for light
  24. net — for catching

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