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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. file — a document
  5. charge — a price
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. file — a tool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. file — a line of people
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cap — a hat
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. ball — a dance
  21. charge — in control
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bulb — for light

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