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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. land — ground
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. game — wild animals
  10. capital — money
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. game — a match
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. land — a country
  17. land — to come down
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bulb — for light
  23. capital — a city
  24. pitch — a sports field

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