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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. tube — the underground
  6. firm — steady
  7. bulb — for light
  8. can — to be able to
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. charge — in control
  11. tube — a container
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. can — a tin
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. rest — what's left
  16. firm — decided
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. can — a tin
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. firm — a company
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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