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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. charge — in control
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lie — to recline
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mug — a face
  11. bulb — for light
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mug — a cup
  16. last — final
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — finally
  22. charge — a price
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fan — a supporter

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