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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. court — for sport
  3. band — a ring
  4. craft — boats
  5. band — a music group
  6. charge — a price
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. bulb — for light
  12. club — for dancing
  13. fork — in a road
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — of law
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. club — a group
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. club — for golf

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