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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bulb — for light
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. court — of law
  7. last — finally
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. court — for sport
  10. charge — a price
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. court — of a king
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. kid — child
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bulb — for light
  21. last — final
  22. charge — in control
  23. kid — to tease
  24. last — to go on

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