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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: march · shower · kick · ball · suit · rule · fine · bulb

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. rule — a law
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. march — the month
  8. shower — rain
  9. bulb — for light
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. march — the month
  13. kick — in football
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. suit — clothes
  16. shower — to wash
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rule — government
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. ball — a great time
  23. march — music
  24. fine — all right

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