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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fall — the season
  4. row — a line
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fall — to drop
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mark — a grade
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mark — a trace
  19. charge — a price
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fine — all right
  24. charge — in control

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