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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · bowl · ruler · march · object · rash · deal · bulb

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rash — a series
  7. spell — magic
  8. march — the month
  9. object — an aim
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. march — music
  15. object — to protest
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. march — the month
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — a thing

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