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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: charge · bulb · jam · coach · can · date · fork · craft

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. can — to be able to
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. charge — in control
  6. craft — a skill
  7. can — a tin
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. charge — a price
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. date — the fruit
  17. fork — in a road
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. craft — boats
  23. charge — electricity
  24. can — a tin

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