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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: charge · present · content · plane · bulb · lie · march · bore

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. charge — in control
  3. march — the month
  4. charge — electricity
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bulb — for light
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. plane — a tool
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. content — the amount
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. march — the month
  19. charge — a price
  20. lie — to recline
  21. march — music
  22. bore — to drill
  23. present — the time now
  24. content — happy

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