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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: bulb · pitch · capital · lean · pit · charge · stock · straw

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pit — a hole
  6. lean — thin
  7. stock — goods
  8. capital — a city
  9. stock — shares
  10. bulb — for light
  11. capital — money
  12. pitch — completely
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pit — in a race
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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