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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.

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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 · land · arm · bank · fine · board · ground · bulb

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bank — for money
  4. ground — a position
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bank — for money
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. charge — electricity
  11. land — to come down
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. board — to get on
  14. fine — high quality
  15. land — ground
  16. land — a country
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. charge — in control
  19. fine — all right
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. board — a committee
  22. charge — a price
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bulb — for light

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