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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: arm · racket · last · bulb · pitcher · perch · charge · ball

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. last — final
  3. charge — in control
  4. last — to go on
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. last — finally
  12. ball — a great time
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ball — a dance
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. perch — the fish
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. charge — a price
  24. arm — a part of something

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