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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. row — to paddle
  4. charge — electricity
  5. current — happening now
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bulb — for light
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. current — electric
  13. row — a line
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. current — of water
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. object — a thing
  20. bulb — for light
  21. object — an aim
  22. foot — a measure
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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