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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: stem · mouse · pitch · charge · board · bulb · current · roll

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. current — electric
  3. board — to get on
  4. current — of water
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. roll — a list
  10. pitch — completely
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. stem — to come from
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. current — happening now
  17. board — a committee
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. charge — in control

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