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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. branch — a division
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. fork — in a road
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bass — low music
  9. board — to get on
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. charge — a price
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. can — a tin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bass — the fish
  18. board — a committee
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. can — a tin
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. court — of a king
  24. can — to be able to

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