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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 124 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. charge — a price
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. band — a music group
  6. band — a ring
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. charge — in control
  13. craft — boats
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. chip — to eat
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bark — to shout

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