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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: club · nail · rule · bulb · shower · leaves · ruler · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. club — for dancing
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. club — a group
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ball — a great time
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. shower — to wash
  18. club — for golf
  19. rule — government
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rule — a law
  23. shower — rain
  24. bulb — of a plant

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