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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bulb — for light
  3. band — a music group
  4. bulb — for light
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. fine — all right
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. object — to protest
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. object — a thing
  16. charge — a price
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. object — an aim
  20. band — a ring
  21. fine — high quality
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bat — the animal

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