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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 120 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 · arm · bark · spring · bulb · safe · rest · bat

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rest — a break
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. spring — a coil
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bark — to shout
  13. spring — the season
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. spring — of water
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. rest — what's left

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