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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: lash · bank · sharp · date · club · rule · rush · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rule — government
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. club — for golf
  16. bank — for money
  17. sharp — clever
  18. date — the fruit
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. rule — a law
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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