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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rash — hasty
  4. present — the time now
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cold — not warm
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cold — an illness
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. tube — a container
  17. suit — to fit
  18. tube — the underground
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rash — a series
  24. suit — clothes

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