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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: rock · ruler · bulb · clip · craft · pitcher · can · chip

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. clip — to cut
  3. can — a tin
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. chip — for betting
  7. rock — a stone
  8. craft — boats
  9. clip — a video
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. clip — for paper
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. craft — a skill
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rock — music
  22. chip — to eat
  23. can — a tin
  24. craft — a handicraft

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