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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bulb — for light
  3. charge — a price
  4. field — a subject
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. field — farmland
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. field — for sport
  10. present — the time now
  11. firm — decided
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. present — there
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rule — government
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. charge — electricity
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. present — a gift
  23. charge — in control
  24. rule — to rule out

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