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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: bulb · rest · bowl · band · ruler · pound

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. band — a music group
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. rest — a break
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pound — a weight
  18. 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