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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: charge · rush · temple · mate · bulb · pitch · mouse · branch

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. rush — hurry
  6. charge — electricity
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. charge — a price
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mate — a friend
  18. branch — a division
  19. mate — to breed
  20. charge — in control
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. branch — of a bank
  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