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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bulb — for light
  3. squash — the sport
  4. degree — temperature
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. court — for sport
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bulb — for light
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. court — of law
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. degree — from a university
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. court — of a king
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. degree — an amount
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. ruler — for measuring

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