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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: key · charge · can · suit · bulb · roll · plane · fall

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. charge — electricity
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. key — the most important part
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. key — for a lock
  10. suit — clothes
  11. can — a tin
  12. key — in music
  13. fall — to drop
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. charge — in control
  16. can — to be able to
  17. charge — a price
  18. roll — a list
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. roll — a cake
  24. can — a tin

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