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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 · scale · land · object · bowl · pitch · rule · bulb

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. land — a country
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rule — a law
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rule — government
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. object — an aim
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. charge — a price
  18. pitch — completely
  19. land — ground
  20. object — to protest
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. object — a thing

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