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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: wave · deal · charge · plane · court · bulb · sharp · pitcher

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. charge — in control
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. court — of a king
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. court — of law
  9. sharp — clever
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. charge — a price
  13. deal — to handle
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bulb — for light
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. court — for sport
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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