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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: jam · charge · roll · file · bulb · suit · spring · bat

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. file — a tool
  5. spring — a coil
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bat — the animal
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. suit — clothes
  10. spring — of water
  11. charge — electricity
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. roll — a list
  18. charge — a price
  19. file — a document
  20. charge — in control
  21. spring — the season
  22. file — a line of people
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bulb — for light

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