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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 116 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: present · lean · net · pitch · ball · charge · bulb · track

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. lean — to bend
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. net — for catching
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bulb — for light
  8. charge — a price
  9. present — a gift
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lean — thin
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. net — after costs
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. charge — in control
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. net — in sport
  23. track — to keep track
  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