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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: bulb · calf · track · charge · chair · cap · scale · spell

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cap — of ice
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. charge — in control
  6. cap — a lid
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. track — a path
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. scale — size or range
  12. track — a song
  13. bulb — for light
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. track — to keep track
  17. scale — in music
  18. spell — a short time
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. cap — a hat
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — letters
  24. charge — electricity

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