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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. track — a path
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bank — for money
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bank — for money
  18. snap — to click
  19. cold — not warm
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cell — a phone
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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