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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: board · racket · stick · charge · pop · snap · bulb · wax

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. board — a committee
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — a price
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. board — to get on
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. snap — to click
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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