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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: bulb · ruler · scale · court · charge · bat · mouse · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. scale — in music
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. court — for sport
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. charge — in control
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. mark — a grade
  19. court — of law
  20. bulb — for light
  21. court — of a king
  22. charge — a price
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. ruler — for measuring

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