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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — the sport
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. saw — the tool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. saw — the tool
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. squash — to crush
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. branch — a division
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. craft — a skill
  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