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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — in control
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chair — a leader
  19. charge — a price
  20. pound — a weight
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. ball — a round shape

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