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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: chip · ball · rest · band · bulb · bore · charge · bark

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a music group
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rest — a break
  20. charge — in control
  21. rest — what's left
  22. charge — a price
  23. bore — to drill
  24. chip — to eat

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