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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. rest — a break
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. charge — a price
  7. kid — child
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wake — a trail
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. charge — in control
  15. bulb — for light
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — of the year
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. roll — a cake
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. rest — what's left

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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