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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. squash — the sport
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. row — to paddle
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bulb — for light
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. content — the amount
  15. perch — the fish
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. row — a line
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. fall — to drop
  22. content — happy
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fall — the season

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