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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. current — electric
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. perch — the fish
  9. current — of water
  10. cold — not warm
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bore — to tire
  15. current — happening now
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cold — an illness
  20. bulb — for light
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bore — to drill
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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