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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · ground · bulb · fan · ruler · mouse · capital · squash

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. squash — to crush
  19. capital — a city
  20. bear — the animal
  21. capital — money
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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