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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. present — the time now
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. present — a gift
  8. game — a match
  9. clip — a video
  10. pass — a permit
  11. charge — a price
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bulb — for light
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a word
  16. game — wild animals
  17. can — a tin
  18. clip — for paper
  19. present — there
  20. clip — to cut
  21. root — of a plant
  22. can — to be able to
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. charge — electricity

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