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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. charge — in control
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. key — in music
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. key — the most important part
  12. chip — for betting
  13. roll — a list
  14. roll — a cake
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bear — the animal

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