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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
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 · root · degree · charge · bass · ruler · rest · bulb

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bass — low music
  4. charge — in control
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. root — of a plant
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. sharp — clever
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rest — a break
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bass — the fish
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. degree — from a university
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rest — what's left
  24. charge — a price

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