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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. charge — in control
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. charge — a price
  12. object — to protest
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. deal — to handle
  16. object — an aim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. object — a thing
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — a big deal

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