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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: charge · bowl · arm · pop · bulb · band · racket · stick

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. pop — to visit
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. charge — in control
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pop — soda
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pop — music
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bulb — for light
  14. band — a ring
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. band — a music group

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