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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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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: march · bound · pass · swing · bulb · ruler · ball · date

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. march — the month
  2. bound — tied together
  3. march — the month
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. march — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bound — certain
  10. swing — music
  11. date — the fruit
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bulb — for light
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. ball — a great time
  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