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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. can — to be able to
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. can — a tin
  5. charge — electricity
  6. last — to go on
  7. can — a tin
  8. last — finally
  9. charge — in control
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ground — the earth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. chest — of your body
  16. charge — a price
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chest — of your body
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. last — final
  23. chest — a box
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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