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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. charge — in control
  3. bulb — for light
  4. craft — boats
  5. court — for sport
  6. plane — a tool
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. snap — to click
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. charge — electricity
  11. craft — a skill
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. charge — a price
  14. tube — the underground
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. tube — a container

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