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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. file — a tool
  3. charge — in control
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. file — a document
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. cap — of ice
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bulb — for light
  19. file — a line of people
  20. object — an aim
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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