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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bulb — for light
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. firm — steady
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. tube — a container
  8. land — ground
  9. lean — thin
  10. charge — in control
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. tube — the underground
  16. land — to come down
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. firm — a company
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. land — a country
  23. charge — a price
  24. bowl — a dish

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