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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 120 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: ruler · bulb · charge · pit · sharp · band · kick · lash

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pit — in a race
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. band — a ring
  13. bulb — for light
  14. kick — in football
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pit — a hole
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. charge — a price
  20. band — a music group
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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