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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mark — a grade
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. charge — electricity
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. charge — a price
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. club — for golf
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. club — a group
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. stem — to come from
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. club — for dancing
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mark — a trace
  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