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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 · temple · jam · sharp · rule · bulb · last · deal

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. deal — to handle
  8. last — final
  9. rule — government
  10. bulb — for light
  11. sharp — clever
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. last — finally
  16. bulb — for light
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rule — a law
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. last — to go on
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bulb — of a plant

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