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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 · hide · squash · bark · pitch · ball · wake · bulb

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wake — a trail
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. squash — the sport
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. charge — a price
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. charge — in control
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. charge — electricity
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bulb — for light
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. hide — animal skin

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