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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 116 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
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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: rush · cabinet · ruler · bulb · can · bound · land · squash

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. land — ground
  4. land — a country
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. land — to come down
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. can — to be able to
  11. squash — the sport
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. rush — hurry
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bound — certain
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bound — obliged

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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