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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. craft — boats
  3. bulb — for light
  4. craft — a skill
  5. charge — in control
  6. pop — soda
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. charge — a price
  10. wound — an injury
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. face — to confront
  14. pop — to visit
  15. ball — a dance
  16. face — part of the head
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pop — music
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. craft — a handicraft

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