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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 116 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: fine · bulb · charge · chip · cell · pitch · branch · ruler

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. charge — a price
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pitch — completely
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bulb — for light
  16. charge — in control
  17. branch — a division
  18. cell — in biology
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cell — a phone
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fine — all right
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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