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

Word bank: bulb · fine · rest · pound · ground · lash · dip · ruler

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ground — a position
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fine — all right
  6. rest — a break
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fine — high quality
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. ground — the earth
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. dip — to sink
  24. rest — what's left

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