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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 · pitcher · wake · roll · dip · pit · kid · charge

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. roll — a cake
  5. charge — a price
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. kid — child
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. kid — to tease
  15. roll — a list
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. charge — electricity
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. charge — in control

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