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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. mug — a face
  2. scale — size or range
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mug — to rob
  9. current — of water
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. current — happening now
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. current — electric
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. scale — in music
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. mug — a cup
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. roll — a list
  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