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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 116 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: mate · kid · last · rash · bulb · rush · mark · ruler

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. kid — to tease
  6. mark — a grade
  7. kid — child
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — final
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. last — finally
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mate — to breed
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mate — a partner

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