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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. charge — in control
  4. object — an aim
  5. tube — a container
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. object — to protest
  9. bulb — for light
  10. object — a thing
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mark — a grade
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pop — to visit
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lie — to recline
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tube — the underground
  23. charge — a price
  24. mark — to pay attention

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