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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: mouse · deal · drill · root · present · bulb · rest · ruler

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. present — there
  5. root — of a plant
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. deal — to handle
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — the cause
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rest — what's left
  12. root — of a word
  13. drill — army training
  14. present — the time now
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. present — a gift
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rest — a break
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. drill — the tool
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ruler — for measuring

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