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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. band — a ring
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. file — a document
  6. board — a committee
  7. file — a tool
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. charge — in control
  12. board — to get on
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. band — a music group
  15. swing — music
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — in sport
  19. charge — a price
  20. season — of the year
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bore — to tire
  23. file — a line of people
  24. swing — to play on

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