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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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. present — a gift
  3. bulb — for light
  4. object — to protest
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bass — the fish
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. object — a thing
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bulb — for light
  13. present — there
  14. object — an aim
  15. mug — a cup
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. present — the time now
  18. mug — a face
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. ruler — for measuring

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