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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wake — a trail
  18. current — happening now
  19. lean — thin
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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