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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. present — the time now
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. board — a committee
  8. present — there
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. rest — what's left
  11. board — to get on
  12. bulb — for light
  13. present — a gift
  14. charge — in control
  15. rest — a break
  16. tube — the underground
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. rest — what's left
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bark — to shout
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  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