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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. land — ground
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. board — to get on
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stock — shares
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. land — a country
  15. board — a committee
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stock — goods
  19. land — to come down
  20. deal — to handle
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bulb — for light

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