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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — in control
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bulb — for light
  14. charge — electricity
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. charge — a price
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. plane — a tool

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