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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: bulb · spell · stand · fine · band · pitch · charge · prune

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fine — all right
  4. band — a music group
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bulb — for light
  7. charge — a price
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bulb — for light
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — magic
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. charge — in control
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. spell — letters
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pitch — completely
  24. prune — to trim

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