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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: racket · club · charge · bulb · stand · cap · pit · press

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. charge — in control
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. charge — a price
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cap — of ice
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. club — a group
  14. pit — a hole
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cap — a lid
  18. club — for dancing
  19. press — to push
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pit — in a race
  23. cap — a hat
  24. club — for golf

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