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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: kid · coach · lie · bulb · chip · mark · charge · trunk

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. charge — a price
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chip — to eat
  7. kid — to tease
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. chip — for betting
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — to recline
  16. charge — electricity
  17. kid — child
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. charge — in control
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mark — a trace

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