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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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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: file · cell · hand · ruler · bore · club · clip · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. file — a document
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. clip — for paper
  12. file — a tool
  13. clip — to cut
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bore — to tire
  18. hand — help
  19. clip — a video
  20. file — a line of people
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. club — for dancing

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