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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: plane · cap · snap · charge · club · branch · bulb · bat

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to click
  3. branch — a division
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. club — a group
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. charge — in control
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. charge — a price
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. cap — a lid
  18. club — for golf
  19. cap — of ice
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bulb — for light
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. branch — of a tree

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