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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rock — music
  3. charge — in control
  4. game — a match
  5. degree — an amount
  6. rock — a stone
  7. degree — from a university
  8. charge — electricity
  9. lean — thin
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — a price
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. degree — temperature
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pound — a weight
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. game — a kind of play

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