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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. mug — a cup
  5. present — a gift
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spring — the season
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. present — the time now
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. spring — of water
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. present — there
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mug — a face

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