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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 116 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 · kick · stick · object · charge · firm · fan · coach

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. object — a thing
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. firm — decided
  10. object — to protest
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — a company
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. object — an aim
  17. kick — in football
  18. charge — in control
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. charge — a price
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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