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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: safe · leaves · ground · trunk · charge · bulb · band · dip

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. band — a ring
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ground — crushed
  13. dip — to sink
  14. charge — a price
  15. ground — the earth
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a music group
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. charge — in control
  24. safe — out of danger

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