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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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468
Word bank
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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bulb — for light
  5. vault — a safe
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bulb — for light
  8. root — of a word
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. root — the cause
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. root — of a plant
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rash — a series
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — moving air
  22. scale — in music
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rash — hasty

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