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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: mark · bulb · fine · charge · lean · rush · date · rest

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rest — a break
  3. bulb — for light
  4. date — the fruit
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. charge — in control
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bulb — for light
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fine — all right
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. fine — high quality
  17. lean — thin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. charge — a price
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mark — a grade

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