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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: ruler · bulb · bat · foot · date · leaves · rule · cabinet

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bulb — for light
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bat — the animal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. rule — government
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. foot — a measure
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rule — a law
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bat — for baseball

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