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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: row · bulb · last · ruler · chest · staff · spring · snap

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chest — a box
  6. bulb — for light
  7. row — to paddle
  8. staff — a stick
  9. snap — to click
  10. spring — a coil
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. last — finally
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. spring — of water
  15. last — to go on
  16. staff — employees
  17. row — a line
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. last — final
  20. bulb — for light
  21. spring — the season
  22. staff — employees
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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