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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. charge — in control
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rash — a series
  11. charge — a price
  12. object — to protest
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rash — hasty
  16. object — a thing
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. prune — to trim
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. object — an aim
  24. calf — a young 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