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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mine · rash · tube · pitch · leaves · bark · charge

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. rash — a series
  5. tube — a container
  6. mine — for digging
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. charge — in control
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. charge — electricity
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. pitch — completely
  24. leaves — to go away

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