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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: mate · ruler · bulb · rule · pass · stock · foot · bat

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mate — a friend
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rule — a law
  11. stock — shares
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stock — goods
  15. bat — the animal
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rule — government
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mate — a partner
  24. ruler — for measuring

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