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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: bulb · march · ruler · date · ball · rule · coach · bay

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rule — government
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rule — a law
  11. march — the month
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. march — music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. march — the month
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. date — the fruit
  23. ball — a great time
  24. coach — a trainer

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