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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. charge — in control
  7. bulb — for light
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bulb — for light
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fall — to drop
  12. charge — a price
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bat — the animal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. chip — to eat

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