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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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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: firm · chair · rock · bulb · ruler · mark · cell · squash

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. 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. cell — in a prison
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. squash — the sport
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rock — music
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. firm — decided
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. firm — steady
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. squash — to crush
  19. rock — a stone
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. firm — a company
  23. cell — a phone
  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