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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 120 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: object · pitch · bulb · hand · saw · wave · charge · rush

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rush — hurry
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. charge — in control
  20. object — a thing
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pitch — a sports field

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