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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. drill — army training
  3. present — a gift
  4. bulb — for light
  5. drill — a practice
  6. can — a tin
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. charge — in control
  9. land — ground
  10. game — a match
  11. present — the time now
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. land — a country
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. charge — electricity
  18. land — to come down
  19. vault — a safe
  20. can — a tin
  21. drill — the tool
  22. game — wild animals
  23. present — there
  24. charge — a price

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