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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: bulb · degree · charge · coach · pop · band · dip · stand

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pop — music
  3. bulb — for light
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pop — to visit
  6. degree — from a university
  7. dip — to sink
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pop — soda
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bulb — for light
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. degree — an amount
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. band — a ring
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. band — a music group
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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