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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rest — a break
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — the animal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. board — to get on
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. kick — in football
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bulb — of a plant

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