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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: ruler · band · safe · jam · bulb · last · key · mark

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. band — a music group
  3. last — finally
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mark — a grade
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. key — for a lock
  9. last — to go on
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. key — in music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. key — the most important part
  18. band — a ring
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. last — final
  22. bulb — for light
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mark — a trace

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