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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 120 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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. board — to get on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — to handle
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. charge — electricity
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. capital — a city
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. charge — in control
  16. bulb — for light
  17. plane — a tool
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. charge — a price
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. perch — the fish
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. board — a committee

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