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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rush — hurry
  9. object — a thing
  10. charge — in control
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. net — for catching
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. charge — electricity
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. net — after costs
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — an aim
  19. dip — to sink
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. net — in sport
  23. charge — a price
  24. arm — part of the body

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