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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — a price
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. stem — to come from
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. drill — the tool
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bat — the animal
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. charge — in control

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