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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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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: deal · ruler · race · roll · suit · bulb · land · toast

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — in cards
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. race — humankind
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. land — ground
  13. race — a contest
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. suit — clothes
  17. roll — a list
  18. suit — to fit
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. race — the arms race
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bulb — for light
  24. toast — bread

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