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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pop — music
  6. roll — a list
  7. can — a tin
  8. bulb — for light
  9. capital — money
  10. pop — to visit
  11. roll — a cake
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. can — a tin
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. charge — electricity
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pop — soda
  18. charge — in control
  19. capital — a city
  20. charge — a price
  21. can — to be able to
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bulb — for light

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