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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: pitch · fine · charge · leaves · scale · stem · cue · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. charge — a price
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. scale — in music
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cue — a signal
  12. charge — in control
  13. stem — to come from
  14. fine — all right
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pitch — completely
  21. cue — for pool
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. scale — for weighing

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