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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. land — to come down
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chip — to eat
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. land — a country
  15. suit — to fit
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bulb — for light
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. land — ground
  23. suit — in cards
  24. perch — the fish

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