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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: mug · charge · ground · bulb · kick · bark · trunk · bear

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ground — a position
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. charge — in control
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. charge — a price
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — a face
  24. kick — with a leg

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