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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ruler · bulb · mark · cap · hide · charge · roll · wound

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. roll — a cake
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. charge — electricity
  24. roll — a list

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