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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. clip — to cut
  3. charge — electricity
  4. current — of water
  5. charge — a price
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. rule — a law
  10. current — electric
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. current — happening now
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rule — government
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. charge — in control
  19. clip — for paper
  20. bulb — for light
  21. clip — a video
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rule — to rule out

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