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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. club — a group
  4. board — to get on
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bulb — for light
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. degree — an amount
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. club — for golf
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. charge — in control
  15. board — a committee
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — a permit
  20. charge — a price
  21. degree — from a university
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. club — for dancing
  24. racket — for tennis

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