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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 120 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: scale · charge · leaves · staff · pit · club · bulb · plane

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. club — a group
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. charge — electricity
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. club — for golf
  10. scale — in music
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. charge — in control
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — in a race
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. plane — a tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. club — for dancing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. staff — employees

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