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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
468
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: board · band · arm · charge · date · bulb · pit · shower

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. band — a ring
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. charge — electricity
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. board — to get on
  10. charge — a price
  11. band — a music group
  12. bulb — for light
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. charge — in control
  15. board — a committee
  16. shower — to wash
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pit — in a race
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. shower — rain
  24. date — on the calendar

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