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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. charge — in control
  3. rock — a stone
  4. cell — in biology
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — a measure
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cell — a phone
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. field — a subject
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. field — for sport
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. charge — a price
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. field — farmland
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rock — music

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