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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. object — a thing
  6. charge — electricity
  7. object — to protest
  8. bear — the animal
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. rule — a law
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bulb — for light
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. object — an aim
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rule — government

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