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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: pitcher · game · leaves · rock · charge · trunk · shower · bulb

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bulb — for light
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. shower — rain
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. game — a match
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rock — a stone
  17. shower — to wash
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. game — wild animals
  20. charge — a price
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. rock — music

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