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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hand · bulb · ball · fall · ruler · bore · rule · present

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rule — government
  19. present — there
  20. bore — to tire
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — a law

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