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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rock · rule · firm · bulb · mark · row · racket · ball

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rule — a law
  6. rock — a stone
  7. firm — a company
  8. rock — music
  9. firm — decided
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rule — government
  16. row — a line
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mark — a trace
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. row — to paddle
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. firm — steady

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