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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · squash · march · mark · rule · bulb · nail · row

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rule — government
  3. bear — the animal
  4. march — music
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. march — the month
  16. row — to paddle
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. row — a line
  20. bulb — for light
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — a law

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