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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cap — a lid
  3. drill — a practice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. content — the amount
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bulb — for light
  10. cap — of ice
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — a trace
  13. charge — electricity
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. capital — a city
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. capital — money
  22. drill — army training
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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