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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. charge — electricity
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. kick — in football
  6. charge — a price
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bulb — for light
  13. game — wild animals
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spring — the season
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. spring — of water
  18. charge — in control
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bulb — for light
  21. suit — to fit
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. spring — a coil

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