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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. prune — to trim
  6. charge — electricity
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. content — happy
  11. rest — a break
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. spring — of water
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — a price
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. content — the amount
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bulb — for light
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. spring — the season
  23. bulb — for light
  24. row — a line

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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