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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bulb — for light
  3. court — of a king
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — a friend
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. field — for sport
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. charge — electricity
  15. deal — to handle
  16. field — farmland
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. charge — a price
  20. field — a subject
  21. court — for sport
  22. lean — thin
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. court — of law

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