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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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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: pitcher · ruler · fan · craft · mine · wax · chip · bulb

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bulb — for light
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. chip — for betting
  11. craft — boats
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mine — for digging
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mine — an explosive

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