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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kid — child
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — of a plant
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. spell — letters
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. spell — magic
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. root — of a word
  21. kid — to tease
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. root — the cause

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