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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 120 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: bulb · charge · hide · mug · pit · patient · perch · pop

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — soda
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. pit — in a race
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. charge — a price
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mug — a face
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bulb — for light
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. charge — in control

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