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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: leaves · file · coach · present · bulb · charge · scale · pop

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pop — music
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. file — a tool
  6. charge — a price
  7. file — a document
  8. bulb — for light
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. scale — in music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. charge — electricity
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — to visit
  24. scale — size or range

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