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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: nail · pass · bulb · mate · root · rule · club · mark

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. mate — a partner
  3. club — for golf
  4. rule — a law
  5. mate — a friend
  6. root — of a word
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pass — a permit
  12. club — for dancing
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mark — a grade
  18. root — the cause
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mate — to breed
  21. club — a group
  22. bulb — for light
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mark — to pay attention

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