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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bulb — for light
  3. swing — in golf
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. charge — in control
  7. cue — for pool
  8. charge — a price
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. object — to protest
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. swing — music
  14. rest — a break
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. object — an aim
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bulb — for light
  23. object — a thing
  24. rest — what's left

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