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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pop — to visit
  7. charge — in control
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pop — music
  11. wind — moving air
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fall — to drop
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. pop — soda
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. vault — a safe
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. charge — a price
  24. bound — certain

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