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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bulb — for light
  3. content — the amount
  4. charge — in control
  5. board — to get on
  6. track — to keep track
  7. file — a tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — a committee
  10. craft — boats
  11. charge — a price
  12. file — a line of people
  13. craft — a skill
  14. file — a document
  15. bulb — for light
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. charge — electricity
  19. track — a path
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. content — happy
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. content — videos and posts

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