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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: rest · ruler · leaves · mouse · bulb · bat · can · arm

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. rest — what's left
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. can — a tin
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. can — to be able to
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rest — a break
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. can — a tin
  22. bat — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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