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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. charge — a price
  6. can — a tin
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. can — a tin
  19. craft — boats
  20. wake — a trail
  21. court — for sport
  22. charge — in control
  23. craft — a skill
  24. plane — a tool

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