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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. charge — electricity
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. race — a contest
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ball — a dance
  16. race — humankind
  17. chair — a leader
  18. charge — a price
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. wave — of the sea

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