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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. track — a song
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bulb — for light
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bulb — for light
  12. squash — the sport
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. tube — a container

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