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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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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: rest · bulb · bowl · bank · last · ruler · stick · leaves

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. last — final
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bank — for money
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. last — finally
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rest — what's left
  19. last — to go on
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bank — for money
  22. rest — a break
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bulb — for light

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