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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. ground — a position
  4. bulb — for light
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. craft — boats
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cold — an illness
  14. ground — crushed
  15. charge — a price
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cold — not warm
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pass — a permit

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