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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: suit · lean · bulb · net · rush · sharp · mark · ruler

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. net — after costs
  4. bulb — for light
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — to fit
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. net — for catching
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mark — a trace
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. net — in sport
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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