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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: dip · trunk · charge · fine · band · game · bulb · patient

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bulb — for light
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. fine — high quality
  11. charge — a price
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. charge — electricity
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. fine — all right
  16. bulb — for light
  17. band — a ring
  18. dip — to sink
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. game — a match
  23. charge — in control
  24. trunk — of a car

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