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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to click
  5. field — farmland
  6. bulb — for light
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. suit — clothes
  15. prune — to trim
  16. roll — a list
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a cake
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bulb — for light
  22. field — a subject
  23. suit — to fit
  24. field — for sport

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