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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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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: leaves · kid · deal · object · bulb · cabinet · band · ruler

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. object — a thing
  8. band — a ring
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. object — to protest
  11. kid — to tease
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. object — an aim
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. kid — child
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bulb — for light

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