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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. drill — the tool
  3. degree — from a university
  4. present — there
  5. drill — a practice
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. charge — a price
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. present — the time now
  10. lean — to bend
  11. snap — to click
  12. bear — the animal
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bulb — for light
  16. degree — temperature
  17. present — a gift
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bulb — for light
  20. drill — army training
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. degree — an amount
  24. lean — thin

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