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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
468
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: sharp · ruler · bulb · tear · land · chest · charge · last

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. land — ground
  3. charge — in control
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. last — to go on
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. charge — electricity
  9. last — final
  10. land — a country
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. chest — a box
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. tear — to rip
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bulb — for light
  17. tear — from crying
  18. chest — of your body
  19. land — to come down
  20. charge — a price
  21. last — finally
  22. sharp — clever
  23. chest — of your body
  24. sharp — with an edge

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