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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bore — to tire
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bore — to drill
  6. rule — a law
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. board — a committee
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. current — of water
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rule — government
  17. wax — to grow
  18. board — to get on
  19. current — happening now
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. charge — in control
  23. current — electric
  24. charge — a price

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