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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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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: track · charge · bulb · hand · rash · wound · rush · cue

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. hand — help
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. charge — a price
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — a path
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cue — a hint
  10. hand — in cards
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. track — to keep track
  15. cue — a signal
  16. charge — in control
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rash — hasty
  19. charge — electricity
  20. track — a song
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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