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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. charge — electricity
  4. march — the month
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. charge — a price
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ball — a dance
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. charge — in control
  19. cap — of ice
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cap — a lid
  22. track — a song
  23. cap — a hat
  24. patient — a sick person

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