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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bound — certain
  4. current — of water
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tube — the underground
  9. current — happening now
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. tube — a container
  12. charge — electricity
  13. degree — an amount
  14. degree — temperature
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. charge — a price
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. row — a line
  22. charge — in control
  23. current — electric
  24. degree — from a university

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