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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 · rule · craft · dip · land · hand · pass · stand

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. land — to come down
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. land — a country
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. land — ground
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. craft — boats
  12. bulb — for light
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rule — government
  18. hand — help
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hand — in cards
  21. rule — a law
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. stand — to bear

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