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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pop — to visit
  4. net — after costs
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. net — for catching
  7. content — happy
  8. fork — in a road
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bear — the animal
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pop — soda
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. net — in sport
  20. pop — music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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