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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 · pitch · mug · cell · staff · charge · net · rock

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. net — in sport
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — employees
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bulb — for light
  8. net — for catching
  9. charge — a price
  10. rock — music
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rock — a stone
  15. cell — in biology
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. staff — a stick
  18. net — after costs
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mug — to rob
  24. cell — in a prison

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