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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 120 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kick — in football
  6. last — to go on
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. charge — in control
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. last — finally
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. last — final
  20. stand — to bear
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. charge — a price
  23. stand — for spectators
  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