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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bank — for money
  8. bound — certain
  9. craft — boats
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. charge — a price
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pit — a hole
  15. charge — electricity
  16. craft — a skill
  17. bound — tied together
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bank — for money
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. charge — in control

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