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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. charge — electricity
  3. dip — to sink
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. charge — in control
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pop — music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. race — the arms race
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. craft — boats
  18. bulb — for light
  19. charge — a price
  20. race — a contest
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. race — humankind
  24. pop — soda

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