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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. club — a group
  6. capital — money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. shower — to wash
  10. capital — a city
  11. club — for dancing
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. current — happening now
  14. season — of the year
  15. current — of water
  16. club — for golf
  17. charge — a price
  18. current — electric
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. charge — in control
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — to recline
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — in sport

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