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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: charge · lash · roll · deal · wax · bulb · ruler · spring

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. spring — a coil
  3. charge — in control
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. charge — electricity
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. roll — a list
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. roll — a cake
  17. deal — to handle
  18. wax — to grow
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spring — of water
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. spring — the season
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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