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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. key — in music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rash — a series
  7. charge — a price
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — electricity
  11. drill — army training
  12. craft — boats
  13. rash — hasty
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. charge — in control
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bulb — for light
  20. drill — the tool
  21. key — the most important part
  22. craft — a skill
  23. key — for a lock
  24. drill — a practice

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