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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. club — for dancing
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. file — a tool
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bulb — for light
  10. club — a group
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. club — for golf
  15. file — a document
  16. charge — in control
  17. stock — shares
  18. bulb — for light
  19. charge — a price
  20. pass — a permit
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bark — to shout

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