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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. face — to point toward
  3. hand — help
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. face — part of the head
  9. charge — a price
  10. wax — to grow
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. mark — a grade
  18. charge — electricity
  19. face — to confront
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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