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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · charge · file · dip · bay · toast · wind · mark

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. file — a tool
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wind — moving air
  7. mark — a grade
  8. charge — in control
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. charge — a price
  11. bulb — for light
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wind — moving air
  23. file — a document
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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