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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 120 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 · saw · band · foot · bay · ruler · pit · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. saw — the tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pit — in a race
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bulb — for light
  20. band — a ring
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. band — a music group
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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