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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 120 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: sharp · land · ruler · wake · squash · pass · bulb · ball

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. land — ground
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. ball — a dance
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. land — a country
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. land — to come down
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. squash — the sport
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. squash — to crush
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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