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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rash — hasty
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. rash — a series
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. charge — in control
  9. prune — to trim
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — the tool
  13. charge — a price
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. prune — to trim
  18. cap — of ice
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. object — a thing
  21. charge — electricity
  22. perch — the fish
  23. object — to protest
  24. bulb — of a plant

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