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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. firm — a company
  3. bulb — for light
  4. land — ground
  5. charge — a price
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spring — of water
  8. fall — to drop
  9. land — a country
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. branch — a division
  12. land — to come down
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. object — a thing
  16. charge — in control
  17. firm — decided
  18. fall — the season
  19. spring — the season
  20. object — to protest
  21. firm — steady
  22. spring — a coil
  23. object — an aim
  24. fall — to drop

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