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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: mate · last · charge · cabinet · mine · game · jam · bulb

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mate — to breed
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. last — to go on
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. game — a match
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. game — wild animals
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. mine — for digging
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. charge — a price
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bulb — for light
  19. last — final
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. last — finally
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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