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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cap — a hat
  6. lie — to recline
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. charge — a price
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cap — of ice
  21. prune — to trim
  22. charge — in control
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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