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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pop — soda
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. charge — in control
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pop — music
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. face — to confront
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. face — part of the head
  19. charge — a price
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. charge — electricity
  24. face — to point toward

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