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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 · rush · ball · rule · fine · file · cell · nail

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rule — a law
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bulb — for light
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fine — all right
  11. rule — government
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. file — a document
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bulb — for light
  20. file — a line of people
  21. ball — a great time
  22. file — a tool
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cell — in biology

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