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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. charge — in control
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. board — to get on
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stock — goods
  13. cue — for pool
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. board — a committee
  20. cue — a hint
  21. charge — a price
  22. band — a music group
  23. charge — electricity
  24. band — a ring

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