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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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. face — part of the head
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. drill — the tool
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. land — a country
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. row — to paddle
  15. land — to come down
  16. row — a line
  17. drill — a practice
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — to point toward
  21. land — ground
  22. scale — in music
  23. drill — army training
  24. scale — for weighing

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