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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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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. charge — in control
  9. face — to confront
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ball — a great time
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bulb — for light
  20. charge — a price
  21. rest — a break
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. face — part of the head
  24. ball — a dance

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