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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. season — in sport
  3. charge — a price
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. object — to protest
  6. bulb — for light
  7. plane — a tool
  8. object — a thing
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bulb — for light
  11. net — after costs
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. charge — electricity
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. hand — help
  18. season — of the year
  19. rock — music
  20. net — for catching
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. object — an aim
  23. rock — a stone
  24. net — in sport

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