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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pop — to visit
  5. cap — a lid
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. board — a committee
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. cap — a hat
  10. shower — rain
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pop — soda
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pop — music
  16. board — to get on
  17. stem — to come from
  18. charge — a price
  19. cap — of ice
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bulb — for light
  24. charge — in control

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