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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 116 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: march · bound · bulb · mate · ruler · fork · racket · shower

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. mate — a friend
  7. march — music
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. march — the month
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. march — the month
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bound — certain
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mate — a partner
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — rain
  19. mate — to breed
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bulb — for light
  23. shower — to wash
  24. racket — a loud noise

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