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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. charge — a price
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. current — happening now
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. current — of water
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — a partner
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bulb — for light
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. current — electric
  17. charge — in control
  18. mate — to breed
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. charge — electricity
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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