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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: pass · pitcher · march · bulb · bore · safe · rule · pop

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. rule — government
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pop — soda
  5. pass — a permit
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. march — the month
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — a law
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bore — to tire
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pop — music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. march — the month

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