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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pop · charge · sharp · kid · kick · bulb · deal · bark

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. charge — electricity
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. kick — in football
  6. pop — to visit
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. deal — to handle
  10. charge — in control
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. sharp — clever
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bark — to shout
  20. kid — child
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. charge — a price
  23. deal — an agreement
  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