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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 116 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: club · lean · dip · net · pit · charge · wave · bulb

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lean — thin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. club — for golf
  6. lean — to bend
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. club — for dancing
  10. charge — in control
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — for catching
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. dip — to sink
  17. net — in sport
  18. bulb — for light
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. club — a group
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bulb — for light
  24. charge — a price

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