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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 124 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. spring — of water
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. spring — a coil
  13. clip — a video
  14. staff — employees
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rock — music
  23. spring — the season
  24. clip — for paper

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