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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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468
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. spring — a coil
  9. perch — the fish
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. bulb — for light
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a committee
  17. spring — of water
  18. bear — the animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. current — happening now
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. kick — in football
  24. spring — the season

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