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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. board — to get on
  3. face — to point toward
  4. fine — high quality
  5. sharp — clever
  6. club — for dancing
  7. charge — in control
  8. club — for golf
  9. face — to confront
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bulb — for light
  12. key — for a lock
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bulb — for light
  16. board — a committee
  17. fine — all right
  18. face — part of the head
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. club — a group
  21. key — in music
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. sharp — exactly

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