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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: bulb · rule · saw · leaves · squash · staff · stick · lie

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. lie — to recline
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rule — government
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. staff — employees
  15. saw — the tool
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. staff — employees
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. squash — the sport
  21. staff — a stick
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rule — a law
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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