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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bass — low music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. mouse — the animal

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