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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bulb — for light
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. scale — in music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. scale — size or range
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cell — a phone
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cell — in biology

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