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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: rash · bulb · dip · plane · bound · charge · stick · content

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. charge — in control
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. charge — a price
  6. content — the amount
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. plane — a tool
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bound — certain
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rash — hasty
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bound — obliged
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. rash — a series
  22. bulb — for light
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. content — happy

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