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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. lean — to bend
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. firm — decided
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. charge — a price
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lean — thin
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — steady
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. firm — a company
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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