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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bulb — for light
  3. net — after costs
  4. cell — a phone
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. charge — electricity
  9. present — there
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. net — in sport
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. present — a gift
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bulb — for light
  19. net — for catching
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. charge — a price
  23. wax — to grow
  24. present — the time now

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