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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: safe · season · rush · bulb · ruler · mark · rule · cue

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. rush — hurry
  3. season — in sport
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. season — of the year
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cue — a hint
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rule — a law
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rule — government

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