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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. perch — the fish
  3. march — the month
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. march — music
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mate — a friend
  9. date — the fruit
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mate — a partner
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bulb — for light
  16. march — the month
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. charge — a price
  22. lean — to bend
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. perch — for a bird

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