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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: date · rest · bulb · safe · mark · game · ruler · stick

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. rest — a break
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. game — a match
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rest — what's left
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mark — a trace
  18. date — the fruit
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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