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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: pit · bulb · band · board · clip · spring · ruler · saw

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. band — a music group
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spring — a coil
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. spring — of water
  11. pit — in a race
  12. clip — to cut
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. clip — a video
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — a committee
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. saw — the tool
  21. spring — the season
  22. board — to get on
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pit — a hole

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