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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: bulb · root · ruler · firm · mark · scale · game · mine

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. root — of a word
  11. firm — decided
  12. game — a match
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mine — for digging
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. root — the cause
  18. mark — a grade
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. scale — for weighing

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