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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. firm — steady
  3. bulb — for light
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. charge — electricity
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a music group
  12. club — for dancing
  13. charge — a price
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bulb — for light
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. foot — a measure
  19. club — for golf
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. charge — in control

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