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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: bulb · bat · last · roll · nail · content · stock · ruler

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. content — the amount
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. last — finally
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. content — happy
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stock — shares
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — goods
  22. last — final
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. ruler — a monarch

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