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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. suit — to fit
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. ball — a dance
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cap — a lid
  14. charge — a price
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. cap — a hat
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ball — a great time
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cap — of ice

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