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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: last · bear · game · file · band · key · ruler · bulb

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. band — a music group
  3. file — a document
  4. bear — the animal
  5. file — a line of people
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. key — for a lock
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bear — the animal
  12. last — finally
  13. last — final
  14. game — wild animals
  15. last — to go on
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. file — a tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. band — a ring
  20. key — in music
  21. game — a match
  22. key — the most important part
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bulb — of a plant

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