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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 116 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: saw · capital · ruler · bowl · deal · rule · bulb · rock

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. rock — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rule — government
  6. rock — a stone
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. saw — the tool
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. capital — money
  17. bulb — for light
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rule — a law
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. capital — a city
  23. rule — to rule out
  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