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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.

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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 · pass · march · pound · object · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. march — the month
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rule — a law
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. march — the month
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rule — government
  13. object — a thing
  14. march — music
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest

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