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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: charge · bulb · bear · ruler · kick · pit

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. charge — a price
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. kick — in football
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. charge — in control
  18. pit — in a race

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