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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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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 · game · bulb · land · toast · march · pit · bay

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. march — the month
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. march — music
  6. pit — in a race
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bulb — for light
  9. march — the month
  10. land — a country
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. land — ground
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. game — a match
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bulb — for light
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. land — to come down
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bulb — of a plant

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