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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: can · sharp · chair · charge · leaves · squash · scale · bulb

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. chair — a leader
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. squash — to crush
  14. can — to be able to
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bulb — for light
  18. squash — the sport
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in music

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