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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mate — a friend
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for golf
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. charge — a price
  8. bulb — for light
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rule — a law
  11. cell — in biology
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rule — government
  15. hand — help
  16. mate — to breed
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. cell — a phone
  19. prune — to trim
  20. hand — in cards
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mate — a partner

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