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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.

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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: band · bulb · charge · ball · calf · season · rock · snap

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bulb — for light
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. charge — a price
  6. ball — a great time
  7. band — a music group
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — in control
  10. season — in sport
  11. snap — to click
  12. season — of the year
  13. rock — a stone
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bulb — for light
  18. band — a ring
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rock — music
  23. ball — a dance
  24. band — a rubber band

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