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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: bulb · roll · rock · shower · nail · lean · rest · rule

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rule — government
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. shower — to wash
  9. lean — thin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. shower — rain
  12. bulb — for light
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rule — a law
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rock — music
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bulb — for light

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