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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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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 · bulb · cap · ruler · bowl · clip · stick · pitch

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bulb — for light
  4. clip — for paper
  5. charge — a price
  6. pitch — completely
  7. cap — a hat
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. clip — to cut
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cap — of ice
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. clip — a video
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pitch — a sports field

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