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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
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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: can · ruler · bear · game · bulb · sharp · hand · roll

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. game — a match
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. can — to be able to
  6. hand — in cards
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. can — a tin
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. hand — help
  15. sharp — clever
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. can — a tin
  24. roll — a list

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