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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: ruler · rest · stand · wake · race · bulb · fall · bound

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rest — a break
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bound — certain
  9. race — the arms race
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wake — a trail
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bound — obliged
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. race — humankind
  23. bound — tied together
  24. race — a contest

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