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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: rash · ruler · face · bulb · wind · race · pound · court

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. pound — a weight
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bulb — for light
  4. court — of law
  5. race — a contest
  6. court — of a king
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. court — for sport
  13. wind — moving air
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. race — the arms race
  20. face — to confront
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. race — humankind
  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