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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: bulb · pit · court · charge · pop · temple · fine · current

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. current — electric
  3. charge — in control
  4. pop — soda
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bulb — for light
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. charge — a price
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fine — all right
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fine — high quality
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — of law
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. court — for sport
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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