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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pit — a hole
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. charge — in control
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pit — in a race
  14. charge — electricity
  15. club — for golf
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. club — a group
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. charge — a price
  22. staff — employees
  23. saw — the tool
  24. staff — employees

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