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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: date · bulb · pit · pop · cue · charge · dip · bark

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bulb — for light
  4. charge — a price
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. charge — in control
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pop — music
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — soda
  22. date — the fruit
  23. cue — for pool
  24. dip — to sink

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