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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: chip · bulb · hide · charge · track · prune · lash · mate

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mate — a partner
  12. track — a path
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mate — to breed
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. track — a song
  23. charge — a price
  24. mate — a friend

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