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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. fork — in a road
  3. clip — for paper
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. staff — a stick
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. perch — the fish
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. staff — employees
  10. bulb — for light
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. charge — a price
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. clip — a video
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. charge — in control
  23. clip — to cut
  24. charge — electricity

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