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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
468
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: stock · pitcher · charge · pass · swing · bulb · leaves · drill

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. charge — electricity
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stock — goods
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. swing — music
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stock — shares
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. drill — army training
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. charge — a price
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. swing — in golf
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bulb — for light
  24. charge — in control

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