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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.

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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: ruler · rule · race · rock · bulb · shower · object · craft

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. craft — boats
  3. shower — to wash
  4. object — an aim
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. object — a thing
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. shower — rain
  18. object — to protest
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. race — humankind
  24. rock — to move gently

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