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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bulb — for light
  4. land — ground
  5. deal — to handle
  6. dip — to sink
  7. charge — electricity
  8. shower — rain
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. shower — to wash
  11. charge — a price
  12. sharp — clever
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rock — music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. land — to come down
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. charge — in control
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. land — a country
  24. sharp — exactly

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