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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. charge — a price
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — in control
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stem — to come from
  13. row — a line
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. vault — a safe
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bulb — for light
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. court — of a king

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