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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. track — to keep track
  3. face — part of the head
  4. charge — in control
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. track — a song
  11. face — to confront
  12. charge — a price
  13. track — a path
  14. face — to point toward
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — a series
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cue — a hint
  20. deal — to handle
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cue — for pool

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