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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. band — a music group
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cue — a signal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. charge — in control
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cue — for pool
  15. charge — a price
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. net — in sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. net — after costs
  20. rash — a series
  21. band — a ring
  22. net — for catching
  23. rash — hasty
  24. cue — a hint

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