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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 120 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: object · charge · net · bulb · ruler · patient · stick · pit

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bulb — for light
  4. charge — in control
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. charge — a price
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pit — a hole
  10. net — after costs
  11. object — to protest
  12. net — in sport
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. object — an aim
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. net — for catching
  21. charge — electricity
  22. object — a thing
  23. pit — in a race
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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