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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · suit · racket · bulb · land · wake · cabinet · snap

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — to come down
  5. snap — to click
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. land — ground
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bulb — for light
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — for light
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bulb — of a plant

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