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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: pop · can · ruler · stick · bulb · court · row · hand

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. can — a tin
  5. court — of law
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — for sport
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. row — a line
  11. can — to be able to
  12. row — to paddle
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hand — help
  16. pop — to visit
  17. can — a tin
  18. pop — soda
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pop — music
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. hand — in cards
  24. court — of a king

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