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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: deal · bound · kick · pass · ruler · bulb · land · capital

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. capital — money
  10. bound — tied together
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. land — ground
  13. capital — a city
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. land — to come down
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bulb — for light
  22. deal — to handle
  23. land — a country
  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