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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. saw — the tool
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bulb — for light
  14. fork — in a road
  15. charge — a price
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. fine — all right
  20. bulb — for light
  21. charge — in control
  22. fine — high quality
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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