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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: sharp · ruler · bound · bulb · temple · current · jam · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bound — certain
  3. current — of water
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bulb — for light
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bound — obliged
  15. current — happening now
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bulb — for light
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. club — for golf
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. sharp — clever
  23. current — electric
  24. bound — tied together

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