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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bulb — for light
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. charge — a price
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rule — a law
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. firm — a company
  13. charge — electricity
  14. firm — steady
  15. rule — government
  16. firm — decided
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. cap — a hat
  20. fall — the season
  21. charge — in control
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fall — to drop

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