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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 124 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. object — an aim
  3. charge — electricity
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. race — humankind
  7. perch — the fish
  8. object — a thing
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. object — to protest
  13. charge — in control
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. race — a contest
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. track — a song
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. clip — a video
  23. race — the arms race
  24. clip — for paper

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