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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. charge — a price
  4. ground — a position
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — in control
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ground — the earth
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. deal — to handle
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. row — a line
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ground — crushed
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. charge — electricity
  22. squash — to crush
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. row — to paddle

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