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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: jam · perch · bulb · swing · degree · staff · charge · current

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. degree — from a university
  3. staff — employees
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bulb — for light
  6. charge — electricity
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. charge — a price
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. current — happening now
  17. perch — the fish
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bulb — for light
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. staff — a stick
  22. degree — an amount
  23. charge — in control
  24. bulb — of a plant

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