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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. charge — a price
  5. bore — to drill
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. track — a path
  9. track — a song
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — to keep track
  16. lean — thin
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. lean — to bend
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — a permit
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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