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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. board — to get on
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spring — a coil
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. charge — in control
  11. spring — of water
  12. fall — the season
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. spring — the season
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. saw — the tool
  18. board — a committee
  19. fall — to drop
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. fall — to drop
  23. saw — the tool
  24. temple — a place of worship

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