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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 120 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. key — in music
  4. plane — a tool
  5. charge — in control
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. race — humankind
  12. charge — a price
  13. key — for a lock
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. race — a contest
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. key — the most important part
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bulb — for light
  21. branch — a division
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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