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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. charge — in control
  3. vault — a safe
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. spell — a short time
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. tube — a container
  11. scale — size or range
  12. tube — the underground
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. scale — in music
  18. file — a tool
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bulb — for light
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. file — a document

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