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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bulb — for light
  6. charge — in control
  7. kick — in football
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. last — to go on
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bound — certain
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. last — finally
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. charge — a price
  24. fan — to cool the air

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