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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: jam · cabinet · mine · ruler · present · bulb · lash · sharp

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. present — the time now
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. mine — for digging
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. present — there
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. present — a gift
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. jam — in traffic

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