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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: season · club · lie · pass · kick · cap · charge · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. charge — in control
  3. cap — of ice
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. club — a group
  7. season — of the year
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. charge — a price
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. season — in sport
  15. club — for golf
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. cap — a lid
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bulb — for light
  20. charge — electricity
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cap — a hat
  23. club — for dancing
  24. kick — in football

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