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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mug — a cup
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ball — a great time
  16. charge — in control
  17. mug — a face
  18. content — happy
  19. mug — to rob
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. charge — a price

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