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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: rock · bulb · staff · mug · net · clip · charge · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. clip — for paper
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. net — after costs
  6. rock — a stone
  7. clip — to cut
  8. staff — employees
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mug — a face
  11. clip — a video
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. net — in sport
  14. rock — music
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. staff — a stick
  17. net — for catching
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. staff — employees
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — in control
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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